AffPapa Cancun adds Nordic Partners Gaming CS2 challenge

• NPG will run a Counter-Strike 2 challenge at AffPapa Conference Cancun 2026.
• Delegates can take on pro player Lukas “FreeZe” Hegmann at the company’s Esports Zone.
• The conference runs November 23 to 25, with official NPG jerseys up for grabs.

Delegates at AffPapa Conference Cancun 2026 will get the chance to face a professional Counter-Strike 2 player on the show floor.

Nordic Partners Gaming (NPG) is bringing Lukas “FreeZe” Hegmann to its Esports Zone in Mexico for the three-day event, which runs from November 23 to 25.

Beat the pro

AffPapa confirmed the challenge on October 14. That came six weeks after it named NPG its Strategic Esports Partner for the Cancun show.

The format is simple. Visitors join NPG’s gaming setup and test their CS2 skills against Hegmann, who will take on challengers throughout the conference.

Delegates will not be facing a casual player. Hegmann has years of professional Counter-Strike behind him, with spells at BIG, BIG Academy and ALTERNATE aTTaX.

According to NPG, he has played around 8,000 matches and holds a 57% career win rate. On those numbers, most challengers should expect to lose.

He also streams under the NPG banner, alongside his role as one of the company’s professional players.

Håvard Lehn, Co-Founder and CEO at Nordic.Partners Group, said:

“We want people to experience esports, not just hear about it. Bringing FreeZe to AffPapa Cancun gives attendees a chance to get behind the screen, challenge a professional player, and see the competitive side of Counter-Strike for themselves. It’s also a great way to bring the esports and iGaming communities closer together.”

Behind the screen

AffPapa is pitching the challenge as something delegates do themselves, not something they watch from the sidelines. The Esports Zone sits on the main conference floor.

NPG will also run a jersey giveaway at the zone. Attendees who take part in the challenge can win an official Nordic Partners Gaming jersey.

Levon Nikoghosyan, CEO and Founder at AffPapa, said:

“We want to make AffPapa Conference Cancun an experience where people can do more than just attend panels and meetings. Having NPG bring competitive Counter-Strike into the event gives attendees a chance to get involved and connect with the esports community in a different way. It’s a great addition to the conference, and we’re looking forward to seeing attendees take part.”

It joins other floor-side additions for Cancun. Peaky Ads, the event’s official podcast partner, will broadcast live from the venue. Off the floor, AffPapa has lined up an official pool party at Mandala Beach Club.

Busy show floor

The Esports Zone forms part of NPG’s wider presence at the conference. It also follows the company’s push into competitive esports this year.

In July, NPG made its first Counter-Strike 2 move by signing Achieveminds’ main roster. That team now competes under the NPG tag. When the deal was signed, the roster sat 79th in the global VRS rankings and held an invitation to a CCT Europe playoff stage.

The Cancun conference is AffPapa’s second edition in the city. It focuses on Latin America and expects around 600 affiliates, operators and B2B companies. Mexican operator Caliente is back as headline sponsor. Crash game developer SPRIBE has signed on as Premium Sponsor.