The 2026 Streamer Awards brought together some of the biggest personalities in online entertainment, with creators from different countries competing for recognition after a year of livestreams, major collaborations and audience driven content. The November 12 ceremony in Los Angeles featured several familiar names, including IShowSpeed, Kai Cenat, Jynxzi, CaseOh and Ironmouse, while Nigerian streaming personalities Peller and Carter Efe also attracted attention through their nominations.
From the personalities who collected multiple trophies to the outcome of the international category, the ceremony produced several developments that have since become major talking points in the entertainment industry.
2026 Streamer Awards Ceremony in Los Angeles
The Streamer Awards is an annual event established to recognise achievements among livestreamers and online content creators. The 2026 edition was the 6th annual ceremony, held on November 12 in Los Angeles, United States, with QTCinderella and Caroline Kwan serving as hosts. The awards cover different areas of the streaming industry, from gaming and entertainment to music, creative arts, audience engagement and international content creation.
The ceremony attracted attention because of the number of established internet personalities competing across different categories, with several creators receiving recognition for their activities throughout the year. Unlike traditional entertainment awards that concentrate largely on film, television or music, the Streamer Awards focus on personalities whose audiences follow their activities through livestreaming platforms and other digital channels.
Nigeria also had a significant presence through Peller and Carter Efe, who secured nominations in the Best International Streamer category. Their inclusion gave Nigerian livestreaming personalities an opportunity to compete against creators from other parts of the world, making the category particularly important to viewers following the event from the country.
IShowSpeed Emerges Streamer of the Year
IShowSpeed was among the biggest individual winners at the November 12 ceremony, taking home 3 awards across different categories. The American internet personality won Streamer of the Year, Best IRL Streamer and Best Streamed Series for his World Cup Tour.
His victories reflected the attention his livestreaming activities received during the eligibility period, particularly his travel content, public appearances and interactions with people across different locations. IShowSpeed has developed an international audience through energetic broadcasts that frequently attract large numbers of viewers, with his activities often generating conversations beyond the streaming platforms where they originate.
The Streamer of the Year award was particularly significant because it placed him at the top of the ceremony’s individual recognition categories. His additional victory in Best IRL Streamer also recognised his outdoor and travel based content, while the World Cup Tour secured recognition in the Best Streamed Series category.
The 3 awards made him one of the most successful personalities at the event, alongside Kai Cenat, who also collected 3 trophies through different categories.
Kai Cenat Wins 3 Awards
Kai Cenat was another major winner at the 2026 Streamer Awards, collecting 3 awards that recognised his influence across different areas of online entertainment. He won League of Their Own, Best Streamed Event for Streamer University and Best Mainstream Collab for his collaboration with Nigerian singer Tyla.
The League of Their Own category recognised his standing as a creator whose activities extend beyond the conventional boundaries of livestreaming. His Streamer University project also received recognition as the Best Streamed Event, following the attention generated by the project and its collection of creators and entertainment activities.
Another notable victory came through his collaboration with Tyla, which won Best Mainstream Collab. The collaboration was particularly interesting to African entertainment followers because Tyla is a South African music star whose international profile has continued to grow through her music and appearances.
Kai Cenat’s 3 victories placed him among the most decorated personalities at the ceremony. His recognition alongside IShowSpeed also highlighted the influence of creators who have developed audiences beyond traditional entertainment platforms.
Ashswag Beats Peller, Carter Efe
The Best International Streamer category became one of the most closely followed parts of the ceremony among Nigerian viewers because 2 Nigerian personalities were among the 5 nominees. Peller, whose real name is Habeeb Hamzat, and Carter Efe, whose real name is Oderhowo Carter Efe, both secured places on the shortlist announced on October 16, 2026.
They were nominated alongside Ashswag from India, Young Multi from Poland and Staryuuki from Cuba. The inclusion of 2 Nigerian creators in the same category attracted attention because it represented an opportunity for the country’s livestreaming scene to receive international recognition.
Before the ceremony, both Nigerian nominees expressed confidence in their chances, with Carter Efe writing, “Don’t stress it, Carter all the way! 100%.”
Peller also expressed confidence in his supporters, writing, “Bro, my fans are crazy no way.”
The voting period opened on October 16 and closed on October 31, giving audiences an opportunity to support their preferred nominees before the final results were announced. However, when the category was eventually presented, Ashswag emerged as the winner, leaving both Nigerian personalities without the award.
During his acceptance speech, the Indian streamer expressed excitement, saying, “Thank you so much, I feel absolutely incredible. It is nice to meet you guys. Thank you so much.”
Another exchange during the presentation also attracted attention after the presenter complimented his English. Ashswag responded, “Thank you so much. English is actually an official language of India.”
Peller Questions Red Carpet Announcement
Following the announcement, Peller raised concerns about how the Best International Streamer category was handled during the ceremony. His complaint focused on the decision to reveal the winner on the red carpet before the main event started, rather than presenting the award during the main programme.
He argued that the arrangement was unfair to the nominees because other categories received recognition during the main ceremony. According to his statement, the international category deserved similar attention, particularly because the personalities nominated had competed for an award representing achievements beyond their home countries.
Peller wrote, “Announcing our category and revealing the winner on the red carpet before the main event started was unfair.”
He also made it clear that his complaint was not directed at the individual who received the award.
“This is not about disrespecting the winner; it’s about giving every category the recognition it deserves,” he stated.
There was no verified public explanation from the organisers addressing his complaint or explaining why the category was announced before the main ceremony.
Phyna Accuses Organisers of Using Nigerians for Publicity
Reality television personality Phyna also reacted to the outcome, directing her criticism towards the organisers of the 2026 Streamer Awards. Her comments went beyond the disappointment surrounding the defeat of the 2 Nigerian nominees, as she questioned whether their inclusion on the shortlist had been used to attract publicity from Nigerian audiences.
Phyna suggested that the organisers knew neither Peller nor Carter Efe would receive the award, despite allowing both personalities to participate in the competition. She expressed her position in a series of remarks that quickly attracted attention among Nigerian entertainment followers.
She said, “Nothing you want to tell me, they know they are not going to give it to a Nigerian streamer.”
She repeated the allegation, stating, “Trust me, they know they are not going to give it to a Nigerian streamer.”
Her strongest statement followed when she accused the organisers of benefiting from the attention generated by the Nigerian nominees.
“They use us run ads. Jesu, they use us run better ads.”
The statement suggested that Phyna believed the popularity of Peller and Carter Efe among Nigerian audiences helped promote the ceremony and attract attention to the international category. Her argument questioned whether the organisers benefited from the publicity generated by the Nigerian nominees without a genuine intention of awarding either personality.
Peller Thanks Fans After Defeat
Despite his disappointment with the presentation of the international category, Peller also addressed the people who supported his nomination. His message focused on appreciating the audience members who voted, campaigned for him and followed his journey throughout the competition.
He acknowledged that the award did not go his way but described the support he received as something more valuable than the physical trophy. His message also showed that he wanted his supporters to understand that the nomination itself was an important achievement.
Peller wrote, “My family, we may not have won the award, but you all have given me something bigger than a trophy: your love, support and loyalty.”
He continued, “Being nominated for Best International Streamer is already a blessing, and I will never take your support for granted.”
He further stated, “No trophy can replace the love you have shown me.”
He concluded the message with, “We move!”
Carter Efe’s Position After the Results
Carter Efe was the second Nigerian nominee in the Best International Streamer category, having entered the competition alongside Peller. His nomination attracted attention because of his growing presence in Nigeria’s livestreaming space and the audience he had developed through online entertainment.
Before the voting period ended, he had publicly expressed confidence in his chances, writing, “Don’t stress it, Carter all the way! 100%.”
However, Ashswag eventually received the award, leaving Carter Efe among the unsuccessful nominees.
How the Voting Process Worked
The voting arrangement was another important part of the 2026 Streamer Awards, particularly because the international category attracted questions following the outcome. According to the published voting information, the final results were determined through a combination of public votes and an industry panel assessment.
Public voting accounted for 70% of the result, while the panel assessment contributed the remaining 30%. Voting opened on October 16 and closed on October 31, 2026, giving viewers a defined period to support their preferred creators.
The arrangement meant that the final result was not based exclusively on public voting, as the panel also had a role in determining the outcome. However, the individual vote totals, panel scores and winning margins for the Best International Streamer category have not been published.
Full List of 2026 Streamer Awards Winners
Beyond the international category, the ceremony recognised creators across several areas of livestreaming, including gaming, collaborations, music, creative arts and entertainment.
The following is the reported list of winners from the November 12 ceremony.
Streamer of the Year: IShowSpeed
Gamer of the Year: Jynxzi
Best Variety Streamer: CaseOh
Best IRL Streamer: IShowSpeed
Best Reality Streamer: Stable Ronaldo
Best Music Streamer: AriAtHome
Best VTuber: Ironmouse
Best International Streamer: Ashswag
Best Breakout Streamer: Katie B
Rising Star: E11ysa
President of Chat: Joe Bartolozzi
League of Their Own: Kai Cenat
Best Streamed Event: Kai Cenat for Streamer University
Best Streamed Series: IShowSpeed for World Cup Tour
Best Mainstream Collab: Kai Cenat and Tyla
Best Stream Duo: Katie B and Vanillamace
Best Streamer Collab: Maya Higa and Adapt
Best Content Group: CORE
Best Marathon Stream: Jynxzi, Stable Ronaldo and LosPollosTV
Best Creative Arts Streamer: BarleyTheBurr
Best Role Play Streamer: Critical Role
Best Vertical Live Streamer: Dean Withers
Best Fortnite Streamer: Roffle
Best Minecraft Streamer: Katie B
Best FPS Streamer: ohnePixel
Best Battle Royale Streamer: NiceWigg
Best MOBA Streamer: Dantes
Best MMORPG Streamer: Savix
Best Fighting Game Streamer: Phidx
Best Strategy Game Streamer: Jillyeon
Best Speedrun Streamer: Feinberg
Best Sports Streamer: Flight23White
Stream Game of the Year: Meccha Chameleon
Best Brand Partner: Red Bull
Hidden Gem Award: SmallFryz
Sapphire Award: Vanillamace
Spark Award: HMBLZAYY
Biggest Crashout: Lacy
Streamer’s Choice Award: supertf
Legacy Award: Quackity
Best Dressed: Vanillamace
Biggest Individual Winners at the Ceremony
IShowSpeed and Kai Cenat were among the biggest individual winners, with 3 awards each. Their victories covered different aspects of livestreaming, recognising their individual achievements, events and collaborations.
Katie B also collected 3 awards through Best Breakout Streamer, Best Minecraft Streamer and Best Stream Duo alongside Vanillamace. Vanillamace similarly received 3 awards, including the Sapphire Award, Best Stream Duo and Best Dressed.
Jynxzi also featured among the prominent winners after receiving Gamer of the Year and sharing the Best Marathon Stream recognition with Stable Ronaldo and LosPollosTV. The different awards reflected the variety of activities recognised at the ceremony, from individual streaming achievements to collaborative entertainment projects.
The recognition of Kai Cenat’s collaboration with Tyla was another notable result, particularly because it connected the streaming industry with mainstream music entertainment. IShowSpeed’s World Cup Tour victory also placed his travel and sports related content among the recognised productions of the year.
The Nigerian Controversy Beyond the Awards
The Nigerian discussion surrounding the 2026 Streamer Awards developed around 3 major issues: the defeat of Peller and Carter Efe, Peller’s complaint about the timing of the international category announcement and Phyna’s accusation that the organisers used Nigerian nominees to generate publicity.
Peller questioned the decision to announce the result on the red carpet, arguing that the category deserved the same recognition as other awards presented during the main ceremony. Phyna went further by suggesting that the organisers benefited from the publicity generated by the 2 Nigerian nominees.
Meanwhile, Ashswag secured the Best International Streamer title ahead of Peller, Carter Efe, Young Multi and Staryuuki. IShowSpeed, Kai Cenat, Katie B and Vanillamace also emerged among the biggest winners, collecting 3 awards each.
For Nigerian entertainment followers, the events surrounding the international category became an important part of the ceremony’s aftermath, with Peller’s complaint and Phyna’s accusation placing the organisers under scrutiny following the November 12 event.
