Ibai Llanos

Biography and Early Career (2015, 2025)

Ibai Llanos Garatea, born on March 26, 1995, in Bilbao, Spain, stands as a central figure in the global digital entertainment sector.

While his initial interest in gaming began during his adolescence in the Deusto district, his professional trajectory is defined by a rapid ascent from regional esports commentary to becoming one of the most viewed content creators worldwide.

Between 2015 and 2025, Llanos shifted from a League of Legends caster for the Liga de Videojuegos Profesional (LVP) to the founder of a media empire that rivals traditional television networks in viewership and production value.

Llanos began his professional casting career in August 2014, narrating bronze-level League of Legends matches. By August 2015, he secured a position with the LVP, Spain's premier esports organization. In January 2016, he relocated from Bilbao to Barcelona to pursue casting full-time.

During his tenure at LVP, Llanos became the voice of Spanish esports, casting major international events including the EU LCS and the League of Legends World Championships. His commentary style, characterized by high energy and rapid-fire delivery, earned him the "Trasgo de Oro" award for Best Caster four consecutive times between 2015 and 2018.

The year 2020 marked a decisive pivot in his career. On February 6, 2020, Llanos announced his departure from LVP to join G2 Esports as an exclusive content creator. This move signaled his transition from a specialized esports commentator to a broader entertainment personality.

During his time with G2, he resided in a content house in Barcelona alongside fellow creators Ander Cortés, Reven, and BarbeQ. This period coincided with the global lockdowns, during which his daily Twitch streams saw exponential growth. He did not renew his contract with G2 in January 2021, choosing instead to establish his own independent brand.

Llanos's independence allowed for the creation of massive, self-produced events that challenged platform records. In 2021, he launched "Charlando Tranquilamente," a series of casual interviews with high-profile figures such as Gerard Piqué, Ronaldinho, and Ed Sheeran.

This format demonstrated his ability to pull mainstream celebrities into the Twitch ecosystem. In December 2021, he co-founded the esports organization KOI with Piqué.

The team initially competed in the LVP Superliga and later expanded through mergers with Rogue in October 2022 and MAD Lions/Movistar Riders in January 2024, securing a spot in the LEC (League of Legends EMEA Championship).

His event production capabilities reached new heights with "La Velada del Año" (The Night of the Year), an amateur boxing event featuring streamers. The second edition, held in June 2022, broke the concurrent viewership record on Twitch with a peak of 3. 3 million viewers.

He surpassed his own record again with subsequent editions in 2023 and 2024, solidifying his status as a premier live event producer.

His dominance in the sector was formally recognized by the industry; Llanos became the person to win the Esports Awards "Streamer of the Year" title three years in a row (2020, 2021, 2022), a feat that remains unmatched in the award's history.

Career Timeline (2015, 2025)

Llanos's influence extends beyond mere viewership numbers. He successfully bridged the gap between traditional sports and digital streaming.

His partnership with Gerard Piqué led to the creation of the Balloon World Cup in 2021 and his heavy involvement in the Kings League, a seven-a-side football league that integrates video game mechanics with physical sports. These ventures demonstrate a business strategy focused on diversifying revenue streams beyond platform subscriptions and ad revenue.

By 2025, his operations included esports team ownership, event production, and brand partnerships, operating with a level of autonomy rarely seen in the influencer space.

Financial stability and operational independence defined his post-2021 career. While exact net worth figures fluctuate, his ability to self-finance events like La Velada, which involves renting stadiums such as the Civitas Metropolitano and the Santiago Bernabéu, indicates substantial liquidity and sponsor trust.

Brands like Samsung, Disney+, and Spotify have engaged in direct partnerships with him, bypassing traditional agencies. This direct-to-talent model disrupted standard advertising practices in Spain, forcing agencies to adapt to a market where a single streamer commands more attention than legacy media outlets.

Throughout this decade, Llanos maintained a public persona centered on authenticity, frequently discussing problem such as mental health and the pressures of fame. He openly addressed his struggles with anxiety and weight, using his platform to normalize these conversations among his young demographic.

This transparency, combined with his professional rigor, allowed him to maintain audience retention rates that industry norms. Unlike peers who fade after a viral peak, Llanos engineered a sustainable career by constantly evolving his content format, moving from casting to playing, then to interviewing, and to producing large- live entertainment spectacles.

Esports Commentary Career

Ibai Llanos's rise as the preeminent voice in Spanish-language esports is defined by his tenure with the Liga de Videojuegos Profesional (LVP) and his subsequent transformation into a global streaming phenomenon.

Between 2015 and 2020, Llanos served as the primary play-by-play caster for the LVP, narrating the highest levels of League of Legends competition, including the European League Championship Series (EU LCS) and the World Championship.

His commentary style, characterized by rapid-fire delivery, emotional intensity, and a distinct absence of technical jargon in favor of narrative excitement, resonated with a massive audience beyond hardcore gamers.

Llanos officially joined the LVP in August 2015 after winning a casting contest. He moved to Barcelona in 2016 to broadcast full-time, quickly becoming the face of the organization. During this period, he won the "Trasgo de Oro" award for Best Caster four consecutive times from 2015 to 2018, cementing his status as Spain's top esports broadcaster.

His narration of the 2019 League of Legends World Championship Final between G2 Esports and FunPlus Phoenix remains a high-water mark for Spanish esports, where his emotional investment in the European team's run captivated hundreds of thousands of viewers.

In January 2020, Llanos announced his departure from the LVP to join G2 Esports as an exclusive content creator. This move marked a pivot from traditional broadcast commentary to personality-driven co-streaming. Although no longer an official caster for the league, his independent broadcasts of major tournaments frequently outperformed official channels.

For instance, his co-stream of the Worlds 2019 semifinals and finals drew viewership numbers that rivaled traditional sports broadcasts in Spain.

Major Commentary Milestones (2015, 2025)

Even after leaving professional casting, Llanos continued to dominate the sector through "co-streams", authorized re-broadcasts of events with his own commentary. In 2021 and 2022, he provided alternate audio feeds for the LEC and Worlds, frequently collaborating with former LVP colleagues.

His ability to merge professional-grade narration with the casual atmosphere of Twitch allowed him to retain his core esports audience while expanding into general entertainment.

This hybrid model proved successful when he founded the esports organization KOI in December 2021; his commentary on KOI's matches in the Superliga LVP broke viewership records for the national league, with peak audiences exceeding 200, 000 viewers for regular-season games.

Llanos's influence extends to the creation of his own competitive events. The "Ibainéfico," a charity tournament started in 2017, brought together top Spanish streamers and professional players, blurring the lines between competitive esports and variety content.

His "La Velada del Año" boxing events, while physically athletic, are produced with the same high-octane commentary and production values as a major esports final. The 2024 edition of La Velada set a global Twitch record, further validating his transition from a niche League of Legends caster to a mainstream digital broadcaster.

His accolades reflect this unique position. While he won the Esports Award for "Streamer of the Year" three years running (2020, 2022), these victories were rooted in his origins as a caster.

The industry recognized that his "just chatting" and variety streams maintained the improvisational wit and energy honed during thousands of hours of League of Legends broadcasts. By 2025, Llanos had redefined the role of an esports commentator, proving that the caster could be the main attraction rather than just a supporting voice for the game.

Content Creation and G2 Esports Tenure

In early 2020, Llanos executed a pivotal transition in his professional career, formally departing from the Liga de Videojuegos Profesional (LVP) to pursue full-time content creation. On February 5, 2020, G2 Esports, a Berlin-based organization founded by Carlos "ocelote" Rodríguez, announced the signing of Llanos as an exclusive content creator.

This agreement marked his exit from professional shoutcasting duties to focus on entertainment-driven streaming.

As part of the agreement, Llanos relocated to a residence in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona, which became known as the "G2 House." He was joined by fellow former LVP casters and collaborators Ander Cortés, Ernesto "BarbeQ" Folch, and Antonio "Reven" Pino.

The group operated as a shared content unit under the G2 banner, producing daily live streams and YouTube videos that blended gaming with variety entertainment. This period coincided with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which significantly accelerated digital viewership metrics globally.

During the strict confinement months in Spain, Llanos's channel experienced exponential growth, establishing him as the most-watched Spanish-language streamer of the year.

Llanos utilized his platform to organize large- charity events during the global health emergency. In March 2020, he organized the "La Liga Santander Challenge," a virtual FIFA 20 tournament that replaced suspended professional football matches.

The event featured 18 professional footballers from La Liga clubs, including Marco Asensio and Marcos Llorente, and raised over €180, 000 for UNICEF to combat COVID-19. The broadcast accumulated more than 1 million views, demonstrating Llanos's ability to the gap between traditional sports and digital streaming.

Throughout 2020, Llanos diversified his content beyond League of Legends. He became a central figure in the "Among Us" phenomenon, collaborating with high-profile figures such as Neymar Jr., Sergio Agüero, and Thibaut Courtois. These cross-sector collaborations expanded his audience demographic beyond widespread esports fans.

In November 2020, he received the "Streamer of the Year" award at the Esports Awards, validating his shift from commentary to entertainment. He closed the year with a New Year's Eve broadcast ("Las Campanadas") from the G2 House, which peaked at over 552, 000 concurrent viewers, surpassing the viewership of several traditional national television channels.

even with the success, Llanos sought greater creative autonomy and ownership of his projects. On January 13, 2021, he announced his decision not to renew his contract with G2 Esports. Llanos stated that he and his team, Cortés, BarbeQ, and Reven, intended to launch their own independent brand. His tenure with G2 officially concluded on February 1, 2021, setting the stage for the launch of "Ibailand."

Key Events During G2 Tenure (2020)

KOI and Esports Ownership

Ibai Llanos formally entered the esports ownership on December 15, 2021, co-founding the organization KOI alongside former FC Barcelona defender Gerard Piqué. The launch event, held at the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona, drew over 15, 000 in-person attendees and achieved a peak concurrent viewership of 363, 000 on Twitch.

This venture marked Llanos's transition from commentator and content creator to team owner, leveraging his massive digital following to secure premium sponsorships from brands such as Finetwork, Cupra, and Disney+ immediately upon inception.

Strategic Alliances and Mergers (2022, 2024)

KOI's expansion into top-tier competition was characterized by aggressive mergers and volatile partnerships. In October 2022, KOI announced a "strategic alliance" with Infinite Reality, the parent company of Rogue. This deal allowed KOI to compete in the League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) for the 2023 season.

yet, the partnership dissolved in November 2023 due to financial disputes and Infinite Reality's reported non-payments, leading Llanos to cover approximately €3 million in operational costs from personal funds to pay staff and players.

In January 2024, Llanos executed a pivotal restructuring by merging KOI with OverActive Media and fellow Spanish organization Movistar Riders. The deal, valued at approximately $5. 7 million CAD per entity, integrated KOI's assets into OverActive Media's global portfolio.

Consequently, the LEC team rebranded as MAD Lions KOI, while the Valorant and Spanish academy teams operated under the Movistar KOI banner. As part of the acquisition, Llanos and Piqué became major shareholders in OverActive Media, with Piqué joining the board of directors.

Competitive Performance: League of Legends

The merged entity found immediate fluctuating success in the LEC. In 2024, MAD Lions KOI finished as runners-up in the Winter Split and secured a 3rd place finish in the Season Finals, qualifying for the 2024 World Championship where they were eliminated in the Swiss Stage.

The 2025 season proved historic; competing as Movistar KOI, the roster won the LEC Spring Split 2025 title by defeating G2 Esports 3, 1 and finished as runners-up in the Summer Split, securing the region's top seed for the 2025 World Championship.

Valorant and Structural Challenges

While the League of Legends division thrived, KOI's Valorant division faced severe instability. After a difficult 2024 season, the team struggled in the 2025 VCT EMEA, going winless (0, 6) in the Stage 1 group phase.

In September 2025, Riot Games terminated its partnership with Movistar KOI, citing contractual breaches including the failure to maintain mandatory co-streaming hours and the absence of Llanos as the primary broadcaster for matches. This expulsion marked a significant setback for the organization's multi-game ambitions.

Kings League and Queens League

Between 2023 and 2025, Ibai Llanos transitioned from a content creator to a central executive in the global sports industry through his co-leadership of the Kings League and Queens League.

Founded in partnership with Gerard Piqué, these seven-a-side football competitions modernized traditional sports with video game-inspired rules, including "secret weapon" cards, unlimited substitutions, and penalty shootouts starting from the midfield.

Llanos presides over Porcinos FC (men's) and Porcinas FC (women's), entities that have become the ecosystem's most popular and competitively successful franchises.

The Kings League InfoJobs launched its inaugural season in January 2023 at the Cupra Arena in Barcelona. The format immediately disrupted the sports media sector, with the 2023 Winter Split final at Camp Nou drawing 92, 522 spectators and peaking at 2. 16 million concurrent online viewers.

Llanos's Porcinos FC quickly established dominance, culminating in a victory at the 2024 Kings World Cup in Mexico. In the final held at the Estadio BBVA, Porcinos FC defeated the Brazilian side G3X FC 5-3, securing the $1 million prize and the title of world champions.

The event's broadcasts generated nearly 40 million hours watched, solidifying the league's international viability.

Llanos's influence extended to the Queens League Oysho, which debuted in May 2023. His women's team, Porcinas FC, demonstrated consistent high-level performance, achieving the longest unbeaten run during the inaugural split. While they fell short of the league title in the early seasons, the team remained a fixture in the playoffs.

In November 2025, Porcinas FC reached the Queens Cup final was defeated 4-2 by PIO FC, the team presided over by Mexican streamer Samantha "Rivers" Rivera.

The league itself expanded rapidly, with the 2025 Queens Finalissima in Paris seeing Spain's Las Troncas FC defeat Mexico's Peluche Caligari 5-4, marking the intercontinental title for the women's division.

International Expansion and 2025 Competitions

The 2025 calendar marked the league's aggressive global expansion. The Kings World Cup Nations, held in Italy in January 2025, shifted the format to national teams. Brazil claimed the inaugural title by defeating Colombia 6-2 in the final at Turin's Allianz Stadium, with the event peaking at 3. 5 million concurrent viewers.

Llanos played a key role in the Spanish national team's organization, though they did not reach the final. Later that year, the Kings World Cup Clubs 2025 took place in Paris from June 1 to June 14. In a reversal of the previous year's fortune, Llanos's Porcinos FC lost the final 6-3 to Los Troncos FC, a fellow Spanish team led by streamer Perxitaa.

even with the loss in Paris, Porcinos FC rebounded domestically. On November 16, 2025, the team won the Kings Cup Spain, Móstoles with a record-breaking 16-5 scoreline. This victory reinforced the club's valuation; in late 2023, Llanos publicly rejected a €1.

5 million offer for a 15% stake in Porcinos FC, a deal that would have valued the single team at €10 million. Financial reports from 2023 indicated the club generated €1. 01 million in revenue with a net profit of €45, 402, driven by sponsorships with brands such as Aquaservice, ColaCao, and Garmin.

Regulatory Challenges and Controversy

The rapid commercialization of the league brought regulatory scrutiny. In February 2026, the Spanish National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC) initiated sanction proceedings against Llanos for alleged breaches of the General Audiovisual Communication Law.

The investigation focused on the undisclosed placement of Coca-Cola products during a 2025 broadcast related to his "La Velada del Año" event, which shares the same viewer base as the Kings League.

The infraction carries a chance fine ranging from €30, 000 to €750, 000, marking the major legal challenge to Llanos's broadcasting practices since the league's inception.

La Velada del Año: Redefining Digital Entertainment

La Velada del Año (The Night of the Year) stands as the definitive event in Ibai Llanos' career, transforming from a niche streaming experiment into a global stadium spectacle that rivals traditional Super Bowl broadcasts.

Between 2021 and 2025, this amateur boxing series shattered Twitch viewership records annually, culminating in the 2025 edition which drew over 9. 3 million concurrent viewers.

The event merges influencer combat sports with A-list musical performances, creating a hybrid entertainment format that monetizes the intersection of digital culture and live stadium experiences.

Event Evolution and Record-Breaking Metrics

The series began in May 2021 amidst pandemic restrictions, with a modest production at a private venue in Barcelona. By 2025, it had expanded to sold-out football stadiums, requiring production logistics comparable to Olympic opening ceremonies. The trajectory of the event demonstrates a consistent year-over-year growth in both physical attendance and digital reach.

Chronology of Editions

La Velada del Año I (2021): The inaugural event established the format, featuring three fights and musical acts by Blon, Rojuu, and Piezas. even with its limited capacity due to COVID-19, the broadcast peaked at 1. 5 million viewers, signaling the chance for creator-led sports events. The main event saw Reven defeat ElMillor, a rivalry that had been built up for months on social media.

La Velada del Año II (2022): Moving to the Pavelló Olímpic in Badalona, the second edition introduced a live audience of 12, 000. The production value increased significantly, featuring performances by Duki, Nicki Nicole, and Bizarrap. The main event pitted streamer Mr. Jagger against singer David Bustamante, who stepped in as a late replacement.

This edition broke the concurrent viewership record previously held by TheGrefg.

La Velada del Año III (2023): The event scaled to a stadium level at the Cívitas Metropolitano, home of Atlético Madrid. With 70, 000 attendees, it became the highest-attended boxing event in Spain since 1930. The six-fight card included international creators like Amouranth (who later withdrew due to medical problem) and Germán Garmendia.

Musical guests included Ozuna, Quevedo, and Estopa. Technical problem with Twitch's servers during the broadcast highlighted the of such massive traffic, yet the stream still peaked at 3. 4 million viewers.

La Velada del Año IV (2024): Held at the renovated Santiago Bernabéu, this edition introduced new combat formats, including a "King of the Ring" match with ten participants and a 2-on-2 tag team fight featuring Alana and Amablitz against Zeling and Nissaxter.

The event featured a surprise performance by Smith, alongside acts like Julieta Venegas and Paulo Londra. The main event saw Plex defeat El Mariana, cementing the event's status as a global media phenomenon.

La Velada del Año V (2025): The fifth edition in Seville marked a quantum leap in viewership, reaching 9. 3 million peak viewers. The card featured high- bouts such as Abby vs. RoRo and the headline fight between TheGrefg and Colombian streamer WestCol. The musical lineup included Melendi, Aitana, and Grupo Frontera.

This event solidified Llanos' ability to command audiences larger than major traditional sporting finals.

Production Economics and Logistics

By 2025, La Velada del Año operated with the financial and logistical weight of a major television production. The fifth edition required a budget of approximately €10 million, with technical production costs alone accounting for €5 million. The event employed over 1, 000 staff members, 39 broadcast cameras, and 12 technical vehicles to manage the signal.

Revenue streams for the 2025 event were estimated to exceed €8 million. Ticket sales generated approximately €5 million, while sponsorships from brands like Coca-Cola, Spotify, Revolut, and Vicio contributed an estimated €3 million. Twitch ad revenue and subscriptions added another €1 million.

Even with these figures, Llanos frequently stated that the event's primary goal was brand building rather than immediate profit, with costs frequently matching or exceeding direct revenue. The economic impact extended beyond the venue, with sponsors like Alsa running dedicated transport campaigns and Revolut using the event for major product activations.

Ronin FC and Traditional Football

In August 2025, Ibai Llanos formalized his entry into federated 11-a-side football with the founding of Ronin FC. Distinct from his Kings League ventures, this club was established to compete in the Quarta Catalana, the lowest tier of the Catalan football league system.

The project represented a shift from the entertainment-focused rules of the Kings League to the strict regulations of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

Llanos positioned the club with a long-term objective of ascending the Spanish football pyramid, emphasizing a "content- " method where matches and training sessions were broadcast live on Twitch to his global audience.

The club's debut on September 21, 2025, against CF Vallirana resulted in a 9-0 victory, viewed by over 20, 000 concurrent spectators on Twitch and a full capacity crowd at the Municipal 25 de Setembre in Rubí.

Unlike typical amateur clubs, Ronin FC secured technical sponsorship from Nike and attracted players with professional backgrounds, including Ricard Pujol, a former Espanyol and Mallorca defender, and Josu Quintero, a UEFA Youth League winner.

The squad selection process involved a draft that drew more than 15, 000 applicants, blending traditional scouting with digital content mechanics.

Before establishing Ronin FC, Llanos had already integrated himself into the traditional football ecosystem through broadcasting rights and high-profile player interactions. In January 2021, he partnered with La Liga and Movistar+ to provide alternative audio commentary for the Atlético Madrid vs.

Valencia match, marking the time a major European league officially collaborated with a Twitch streamer for live match coverage. This initiative expanded in April 2021, when he broadcast the Real Sociedad vs. Athletic Club derby live to viewers in Spain, further blurring the lines between new media and traditional sports broadcasting.

Llanos's influence in the sport was cemented by his direct access to elite players, most notably Lionel Messi. In August 2021, following Messi's transfer to Paris Saint-Germain, Llanos conducted the player's exclusive interview as a PSG player live on Twitch at the Parc des Princes.

This broadcast bypassed traditional sports media outlets, drawing over 300, 000 live viewers. His relationship with the Argentine star continued into 2023, when Llanos streamed the Ballon d'Or ceremony.

During the event, Messi jokingly reprimanded Llanos on air for reading their private text messages to his audience, a moment that went viral and highlighted the informal yet direct connection Llanos maintained with football's hierarchy.

While Ronin FC targeted the traditional pyramid, Llanos's Porcinos FC dominated the seven-a-side Kings League format. In June 2024, Porcinos FC won the inaugural Kings World Cup in Mexico, defeating the Brazilian side G3X FC 5, 3 in the final.

The tournament, organized by Gerard Piqué, demonstrated Llanos's ability to manage a winning sports franchise, serving as a proof of concept for his transition to the federated game with Ronin FC.

By late 2025, Llanos navigated controversies typical of mainstream football media, including a public dispute involving Lamine Yamal and Real Madrid prior to El Clásico, which forced him to problem a clarification regarding his platform's influence on player narratives.

Balloon World Cup and Original Formats

Beyond his individual broadcasts, Ibai Llanos has established himself as a prolific producer of original entertainment formats, leveraging his platform to create events that rival traditional television in and production value. A of this expansion was the Balloon World Cup, a concept developed in partnership with FC Barcelona defender Gerard Piqué.

The tournament, inspired by a viral video of the Arredondo siblings from Oregon playing with a balloon in their living room, formalized the childhood game of "keep-up" into a competitive sport.

The inaugural Balloon World Cup took place on October 14, 2021, at the PortAventura Convention Centre in Tarragona. The event featured representatives from 32 nations competing on a court designed to simulate a living room, complete with obstacles such as sofas and a car.

The tournament generated significant global attention, achieving a peak viewership of 632, 494 on Twitch and an average of approximately 500, 000 viewers. Peru's Francesco de la Cruz emerged as the world champion, defeating Germany's Jan Spieß 6, 2 in the final.

The event's success demonstrated Llanos's ability to monetize viral internet culture through high-production live events, securing sponsorships from major brands like Volkswagen and Mentos.

Llanos and Piqué returned with a second edition on October 27, 2022, introducing regional qualifiers to professionalize the selection process. The number of participating countries was reduced to 16 to simplify the broadcast. Spain's Miguel Imbroda claimed the 2022 title after a victory over Brazil's Claudio Lassance.

While the second edition saw a dip in viewership to a peak of roughly 366, 000, it solidified the "Balloon World Cup" as a recognizable brand within the streaming ecosystem.

Disaster Chefs and Culinary Entertainment

In February 2022, Llanos launched Disaster Chefs, a culinary competition format broadcast on his Twitch channel. Modeled after television staples like MasterChef, the show featured pairs of content creators competing in themed cooking challenges judged by professional chefs. The program ran for four episodes plus a grand final, differentiating itself with a chaotic, humorous tone characteristic of Twitch culture.

The premiere episode drew a peak audience of over 400, 000 viewers. The series concluded on March 29, 2022, with the duo of Paula Gonu and Werlyb crowned as the champions.

The final broadcast achieved a peak viewership of approximately 260, 000 and an average of 209, 000, outperforming traditional broadcast programs in the same time slot among younger demographics.

The format's success lay in its ability to place popular streamers in an unfamiliar environment, generating organic content through their absence of culinary expertise.

New Year's Eve "Campanadas"

Llanos also disrupted the Spanish tradition of "Las Campanadas" (New Year's Eve broadcasts). Beginning in 2020, he offered an alternative to the standard television broadcasts from Madrid's Puerta del Sol. His 2021-2022 broadcast, co-hosted with television veteran Ramón García, set a high-water mark for the format with a peak of 801, 074 connected devices.

This broadcast directly competed with national television networks, drawing younger audiences away from traditional channels.

Subsequent editions saw a normalization of viewership as the novelty stabilized. The 2023-2024 broadcast recorded a peak of 286, 034 devices, reflecting a shift in consumption habits and the saturation of the New Year's Eve streaming market. even with the decline from the 2021 peak, the event remained a lucrative commercial property, attracting top-tier sponsors such as Coca-Cola and Grefusa.

Other Original Productions

Llanos continued to experiment with diverse formats throughout the 2021-2025 period:

• Dates (Twitch Edition): On February 16, 2021, Llanos collaborated with the Cuatro television network to host a special edition of the dating show Dates on his channel. The crossover event peaked at nearly 270, 000 viewers, marking a rare official collaboration between a streamer and a legacy media broadcaster.
• Dame la Pasta: Premiering in May 2022, this trivia game show featured content creators competing for cash prizes. While production values were intentionally lower than his major events, it served as a testing ground for recurring studio-based content.
• El Gran Reto: In 2024 and 2025, Llanos documented his physical transformation through "El Gran Reto," a content series that included challenges such as walking 160 kilometers in eight days. This personal narrative engaged his audience on a different level, culminating in significant viewership for his fitness milestones.
• Squid Game Recreation: In December 2024, Llanos organized a large- recreation of the Netflix series Squid Game in Madrid. The event, produced in collaboration with Netflix and KFC, featured high-fidelity set designs and involved dozens of streamers, further blurring the lines between digital content and reality television.

While La Velada del Año (The Night of the Year) stands as his most statistically significant event, shattering global Twitch records with over 9. 3 million peak viewers for its fifth edition in July 2025, the breadth of formats like the Balloon World Cup and Disaster Chefs proves Llanos's versatility.

These productions established him not as a broadcaster, as a media executive capable of conceptualizing and executing complex live events that attract global audiences and blue-chip advertisers.

Broadcasting and Major Interviews

Ibai Llanos fundamentally altered the Spanish media ecosystem between 2021 and 2025 by securing exclusive broadcasting rights and conducting high-profile interviews previously reserved for traditional television networks.

His transition from esports commentary to general entertainment crystallized with the launch of "Charlando Tranquilamente" in February 2021, a conversational format that prioritized long-form, unscripted dialogue over the rigid constraints of press junkets.

This method attracted global figures who rarely engaged with digital creators, allowing Llanos to bypass legacy media gatekeepers.

The most significant journalistic coup of his career occurred on August 11, 2021, during Lionel Messi's presentation as a Paris Saint-Germain player. While major international networks waited in press zones, Llanos broadcasted live from the Parc des Princes tunnel, conducting an exclusive interview with Messi minutes after his official unveiling.

The stream, dubbed "GOAT meets GOAT," marked Messi's appearance on Twitch and drew over 300, 000 concurrent viewers on Llanos's channel alone, with a total cross-platform audience exceeding 2 million.

This event signaled a definitive shift in sports journalism, as athletes began favoring the relaxed environment of streaming platforms over aggressive traditional reporting.

Llanos continued to secure A-list guests throughout the decade. In July 2021, he interviewed British musician Ed Sheeran, a broadcast notable for Llanos jokingly confusing the singer with the Harry Potter character Ron Weasley.

The segment relied on simultaneous translation by his collaborator "Barbe" and highlighted the streamer's ability to transcend language blocks. In August 2021, Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho appeared on the channel, an interaction that left Llanos visibly emotional on air.

The format's longevity was proven in May 2025, when Llanos released "Una Cita con Bad Bunny," a casual interview with the Puerto Rican superstar that covered mental health and his "Debí Tirar Más Fotos" tour, further cementing the channel's status as a premier promotional stop for global artists.

Beyond interviews, Llanos aggressively pursued live sports rights through his partnership with Kosmos, the holding company founded by Gerard Piqué. In 2021, he acquired the rights to broadcast the Copa América in Spain for free on Twitch, providing coverage for a tournament that no Spanish television network had purchased.

Later that year, on August 29, 2021, he broadcast Lionel Messi's Ligue 1 debut against Reims. The stream achieved an average audience of 343, 000 viewers and a peak of approximately 500, 000, competing directly with the commercial channel Telecinco, which held the linear television rights.

Llanos also challenged the traditional Spanish New Year's Eve broadcast, known as "Las Campanadas." He debuted the format in 2020 from his living room, peaking at 552, 000 viewers. By December 31, 2021, he moved the production to the Puerta del Sol in Madrid, partnering with veteran television host Ramón García.

This broadcast reached a peak of 801, 074 concurrent devices, surpassing the viewership of national channels like Cuatro and La Sexta.

Subsequent editions saw a stabilization of numbers; the 2023-2024 broadcast, co-hosted by fellow streamers TheGrefg and DjMaRiiO, recorded a peak of 286, 034 devices, reflecting a saturated market and a return to television dominance by RTVE.

His coverage of the Ballon d'Or ceremony in October 2023 further demonstrated his broadcasting dominance. Co-streaming the event where Messi won his eighth title, Llanos's channel peaked at 690, 800 viewers, becoming the most-watched individual broadcast of the ceremony worldwide.

These numbers were later eclipsed by his own event production; the broadcast for "La Velada del Año IV" in July 2024 reached 3. 8 million peak viewers. This record was shattered again on July 26, 2025, during "La Velada del Año V," which registered an 9. 3 million peak concurrent viewers, establishing a new global benchmark for live streaming viewership.

Business Ventures and Kosmos Partnership

Ibai Llanos's transition from content creator to business mogul is defined by his strategic alliance with Gerard Piqué's Kosmos Holding and the subsequent diversification of his portfolio. This partnership, formalized in 2021, facilitated the creation of high-value entertainment properties that merged traditional sports structures with digital streaming.

By 2025, Llanos had established a multi-faceted business ecosystem spanning esports, football, and event production, operating through both joint ventures and independent entities.

The Kosmos Alliance and Balloon World Cup

In late 2021, Llanos and Piqué co-founded the Balloon World Cup, a tournament inspired by a viral video of siblings playing with a balloon. The inaugural event took place on October 14, 2021, at the PortAventura Convention Centre in Tarragona, featuring 32 national representatives.

The tournament operated on a budget that allowed for a prize pool of €20, 000 for the winner. The event's success led to a second edition in October 2022, which retained the venue reduced the field to 16 teams to simplify the broadcast.

This venture demonstrated the viability of the "Ibai-Piqué" model: taking niche internet concepts and applying professional sports production standards.

KOI Esports: Expansion and Restructuring

Llanos and Piqué launched the esports organization KOI in December 2021. The team initially competed in the LVP Superliga (League of Legends) and Valorant. In October 2022, KOI announced a strategic merger with Rogue, a subsidiary of the US-based metaverse company Infinite Reality. This deal allowed KOI to enter the League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC), the region's top-tier competition.

The partnership with Infinite Reality faced operational challenges throughout 2023. By November 2023, KOI and Infinite Reality officially dissolved their strategic alliance. Under the separation terms, Infinite Reality retained the LEC slot and the Call of Duty League franchise, reverting the branding to Rogue.

Llanos and KOI retained ownership of the LVP Superliga team, the Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) EMEA slot, and the FIFAe division. Following this split, KOI continued to operate as an independent entity under Llanos's direction, focusing on its Spanish fanbase and VCT presence.

The Kings League and Porcinos FC

Llanos served as a founding president in the Kings League, a seven-a-side football competition established by Piqué in 2022. The league introduced "gamified" rules such as secret weapon cards and unlimited substitutions to appeal to younger audiences. Llanos presides over Porcinos FC, one of the league's most popular franchises.

In 2022, Llanos incorporated Porcinos Football SLU to manage the team's operations. Financial filings for the fiscal year 2023 revealed that Porcinos Football SLU generated approximately €45, 000 in revenue, with total assets method €1 million, including €223, 095 in cash holdings.

On the field, the team achieved significant success, winning the inaugural Kings World Cup in June 2024. The Kings League itself secured a $63 million investment in February 2026 to fund global expansion, validating the business model Llanos helped pioneer.

Independent Ventures and La Velada del Año

While of his early ventures were tied to Kosmos, Llanos moved towards independent management for his flagship event, La Velada del Año. From 2021 through 2024, the event was managed by Goatch Global, a joint venture owned 50-50 by Llanos and Kosmos. Goatch Global reported revenues of €8. 7 million in 2023.

yet, Llanos established a new company, Velaris-Kena Productions, to independently produce and monetize his personal projects. Velaris-Kena closed its 2024 fiscal year with €208, 000 in revenue as it ramped up operations.

The shift to independent management culminated in La Velada del Año V in July 2025. Held at the Estadio de La Cartuja in Seville, the event set a global viewership record with a peak of 9. 33 million concurrent viewers on Twitch. The production costs for the fifth edition were estimated at over €7 million, funded by box office sales and sponsorships from brands such as Spotify, Coca-Cola, and Revolut.

Culinary Collaborations

Beyond sports and entertainment, Llanos expanded into the food industry through a partnership with chef Dani García's delivery platform, "The Gaming Family." In March 2023, they launched "El Gran Menú de Ibai," a delivery-only menu featuring items referenced in his streams, such as the "Perrito de Txuleta" and "Bocata Bull." The collaboration utilized García's "La Gran Familia Mediterránea" logistics network to distribute the menu across major Spanish cities, leveraging Llanos's brand to drive direct-to-consumer food sales.

Taxation and Civic Responsibility

Llanos distinguishes himself from high-profile Spanish content creators through his vocal commitment to fiscal residency in Spain.

While numerous peers, including El Rubius, TheGrefg, and AuronPlay, relocated to Andorra to benefit from the principality's lower tax rates (capped at 10%), Llanos has consistently maintained his residence in Barcelona, subjecting his income to Spanish tax brackets that can exceed 45% for top earners.

His stance became a focal point of national debate in January 2021, following a viral video in which he argued for the need of progressive taxation to fund public infrastructure.

Llanos framed his decision not as an act of patriotism, as a matter of class consciousness and civic duty.

He publicly stated, "It is normal that people who earn a lot of money have a lot taken away," citing his family's working-class background, his mother worked as a domestic cleaner and his aunt as a shop assistant, as the basis for his belief in contributing to the welfare state.

In July 2024, he reiterated this position, noting that even with the "abysmal" difference in chance net income between Spain and Andorra, he remained in Spain because he "lives very well" even after taxes and values the services funded by his contributions.

Philanthropic Initiatives: Ibainéfico

Beyond fiscal contributions, Llanos institutionalized his charitable efforts through "Ibainéfico," an annual charity stream that mobilizes the Spanish-speaking digital community. Launched in 2017, the event evolved from a modest fundraising drive into a major production featuring celebrities, athletes, and top streamers. The initiative has cumulatively raised over €600, 000 for various NGOs between 2017 and 2023.

Emergency Response and Direct Aid

Llanos has frequently leveraged his platform for rapid response to humanitarian crises. In March 2020, during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, he organized a FIFA 20 tournament involving professional footballers from La Liga, raising €180, 000 for UNICEF to support healthcare systems.

Following the eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano on La Palma in September 2021, Llanos hosted a charity stream that raised over €46, 000 in a single afternoon, contributing to a broader streamer-led effort that totaled over €100, 000 for displaced residents.

In late 2024, following the devastating DANA (high-altitude depression) floods that ravaged the Valencian Community, Llanos collaborated with fellow streamer Joaquín "ElXokas" Domínguez to provide direct material aid.

Instead of a standard fundraising stream, the pair utilized the logistics network of the meal delivery company Knoweats to dispatch 10, 000 prepared meals and pallets of drinking water to affected municipalities such as Paiporta and Catarroja.

Llanos also converted his social media channels into information hubs, amplifying emergency contact numbers and verified relief resources to his millions of followers.

Awards and Industry Recognition

Ibai Llanos established himself as the most decorated Spanish-language streamer in history between 2020 and 2025. His dominance at the Esports Awards remains unmatched; he secured the "Streamer of the Year" title for three consecutive years (2020, 2021, 2022), a feat no other content creator had achieved at that time.

This international recognition validated his transition from a niche esports caster to a global entertainment figure. In his home country, Llanos became the central figure of the Premios Esland, the most prestigious gala for Spanish-speaking creators.

He won "Streamer of the Year" in 2022 and 2023, while his boxing event, La Velada del Año, received the "Event of the Year" award for three consecutive editions from 2022 to 2024.

The industry has frequently acknowledged Llanos for his ability to merge digital streaming with traditional sports formats. In 2021, Forbes Spain named him one of the "Most Influential People in Spain," and he appeared on their "100 Most Creative People in Business" list as early as 2019.

Although he was notably excluded from the Forbes "Best Content Creators" list in 2024, a decision that sparked significant debate, he returned to the ranking in the "Best Content Creators 2025" edition.

His influence extends beyond awards; his organization, Porcinos FC, claimed the inaugural Kings World Cup title in June 2024 and followed up with a victory at the Kings Cup Europe in November 2025, solidifying his status as a successful sports executive.

Viewership Records and Statistical Legacy

Llanos's most quantifiable legacy lies in his repeated shattering of global viewership records on Twitch. His annual boxing event, La Velada del Año, consistently outperformed major television broadcasts and set new benchmarks for live streaming. The series began its record-breaking run with La Velada del Año 2 in 2022, which peaked at 3.

3 million concurrent viewers. He surpassed his own record in 2023 with 3. 4 million viewers for the third edition and again in 2024 with 3. 8 million viewers for the fourth.

The pinnacle of this trajectory occurred on July 26, 2025, during La Velada del Año 5. The event, held at the Estadio La Cartuja in Seville, attracted a verified peak of 9. 3 million concurrent viewers, a figure that stands as the absolute record for a single channel broadcast on the platform as of early 2026.

This number exceeded the viewership of traditional sporting finals and demonstrated the capacity of individual creators to command audiences larger than established media networks. Guinness World Records officially recognized these achievements, cementing Llanos's position in digital history.