Ninjas in Pyjamas may be leaving Sweden behind.
Swedish newspaper Expressen has reported that NiP has put all its Swedish staff on notice of termination. The move follows the organization’s deepening ties with Abu Dhabi, where NiP Group has already established its global headquarters. According to the report, NiP is considering moving its full operations overseas to the UAE capital.
NiP Group CEO Hicham Chahine told Expressen: “We are currently reviewing parts of our operational structure as part of our broader international operations. This review includes planned changes related to certain roles and functions. No final decisions have been made and the relevant process is ongoing. We continue to maintain existing esports-related facilities and activities as part of our operational structure.”
What Is Reportedly Happening
The Swedish staff was notified during a meeting at the office in Stockholm. The organization, which already maintains its global headquarters in Abu Dhabi, is reportedly planning to run its entire operational business from the United Arab Emirates.
An internal email sent to NiP employees stated that the Swedish office would only continue to exist for training camps before competitions.
Union negotiations are now set to begin in Sweden.
Nothing is finalized. But the employees have been placed on notice, and the direction of travel is clear from internal communications.
The CS2 Team Does Not Want to Move
One of the more significant details in the report concerns the Counter-Strike roster.
Sources told Expressen that NiP tried to convince the players in the Counter-Strike team to move to the United Arab Emirates, but the proposal was rejected.
The reasons cited are practical. Playing CS2 at the competitive level requires low-latency connections for scrimmages against European teams. Abu Dhabi offers worse ping conditions and makes travel to European events more difficult compared to being based in Sweden or another European city.
NiP’s CS2 roster situation is particularly notable given that, as covered on TalkEsport, NiP and several other major names have been absent from recent top-level Major competition, reflecting the pressures organizations face under the current VRS system.
The Abu Dhabi Deal Behind the Shift
This move is the direct consequence of a major financial agreement NiP struck with Abu Dhabi.
NiP Group announced a five-year landmark agreement with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), where ADIO will support NiP’s expansion in the region through financial and non-financial opportunities valued at up to $40 million USD over four years. A portion of this was allocated to the establishment of NiP Group’s global headquarters in Abu Dhabi.
The deal is conditional on precedent and specified performance milestones, including qualitative and quantitative KPI and revenue targets.
NiP Group is listed on the NASDAQ under the ticker NIPG. The organization was originally founded in Sweden in 2000 and became one of the most recognizable names in Counter-Strike history. NIP Group was formed in 2023 through a merger of Ninjas in Pyjamas and Chinese digital sports group ESV5, which includes mobile esports firm eStar Gaming.
The Bitcoin Pivot Driving the Strategy
The Abu Dhabi relocation is happening in parallel with a major shift in what NiP Group actually does as a company.
Under CEO Hicham Chahine’s leadership, NIP Group scaled from zero to 11.3 EH/s of Bitcoin mining capacity in under six months, establishing the company as one of the fastest-growing public miners globally and the largest in the MENA region.
NiP Group mined approximately 151.4 Bitcoin worth roughly $14.5 million during its initial three months of mining operations from September through November 2025. The company has framed this as a second growth engine running alongside its entertainment and esports portfolio.
The resources required to run Bitcoin mining at that scale are significant. The esports.net report noted that the organization has become more involved in crypto mining, with its resources moving increasingly in that direction. The investment from Abu Dhabi makes it natural for the company to operate closer to where its investors are based.
NiP’s Abu Dhabi partnership and Bitcoin expansion represent a significant transformation from the organization’s origins as a purely esports-focused Swedish club, as covered in TalkEsport’s EWC 2026 Club Partner Programme coverage, where NIP.eStar is confirmed as one of the 40 selected clubs for the Esports World Cup.
What Happens to the Esports Teams
NiP still has esports teams in League of Legends’ Chinese LPL, alongside European CS, Brazilian Rainbow Six, and other multinational teams across Rocket League, Apex Legends, FIFA, and more.
These teams will likely be unaffected, as they operate in various other regions.
The organization has also been confirmed as part of the Esports World Cup Club Partner Programme for 2026, which offers up to $1 million in funding per club for operations, logistics, and marketing activities.
The operational changes in Sweden do not appear to affect the active rosters directly. The concern is more about what happens to the org’s long-term commitment to esports if its revenue and identity continue to shift toward Bitcoin mining and digital infrastructure.
For full context on how NiP Group’s financial trajectory has developed, the organization’s official statements on the Abu Dhabi deal are available at NiP Group’s corporate site. The original Swedish reporting on the staff notices comes from Expressen.
For broader CS2 ecosystem coverage this season, check TalkEsport’s IEM Rio 2026 opening matchups breakdown.
FAQ
Is NiP shutting down its Swedish office? Not officially, and not yet. NiP Group CEO Hicham Chahine confirmed the Swedish office will remain open, but only for tournament preparations and boot camps. All Swedish staff have been placed on notice, but final decisions have not been made.
Why is NiP moving to Abu Dhabi? NiP Group signed a five-year deal with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) worth up to $40 million over four years. The deal included establishing NiP Group’s global headquarters in Abu Dhabi, and the organization’s growing Bitcoin mining operations are based there.
What did the NiP CS2 team say about moving? According to Expressen, the CS2 roster rejected the proposal to relocate to Abu Dhabi. The main concerns were ping issues for online scrimmages and increased travel distances for European events.
What is NiP’s connection to Bitcoin mining? NiP Group entered Bitcoin mining in mid-2025. By the end of 2025, the company had scaled to 11.3 EH/s of mining capacity and reported mining roughly 151.4 Bitcoin in its first three months of operation, valued at approximately $14.5 million.
Will NiP’s esports teams be affected? The esports teams in CS2, LPL, Rainbow Six, Rocket League, Apex Legends, FIFA, and other titles are expected to continue operating. The changes reported primarily relate to the Swedish corporate staff and office structure, not the competitive rosters.
