Friendly Fire, the leading Croatian brand of gaming cafes, has opened its first out of 30 signed franchises in Mexico City, Mexico. The first franchise establishment opened on Friday, September 22, with over 500 interested gamers attending the opening. This significant step marks the continuous growth and expansion of the brand that began its journey in Zagreb in 2017.

To date, Friendly Fire has successfully franchised its business model in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Austria, amassing a community of nearly 100,000 users. By signing the master franchise agreement for Mexico, the brand opens the door to at least 30 new establishments in Mexico, thereby laying strong foundations for its presence in Latin America.

“This big step is the result of continuous work and the vision of further global expansion of our network. Friendly Fire strives to become synonymous with a premium gaming experience worldwide,” said founder and CEO, David Kosir. He added that negotiations are underway to expand into additional markets, but details remain confidential for now.

The esports industry is experiencing exponential growth, with a current market value of 3.96 trillion dollars, and is expected to reach 5.5 trillion dollars by 2027. Friendly Fire plans to capitalize on this growth dynamic, positioning itself as a leader in an industry recording an annual growth of 8.21%.

Andrija Čolak, co-founder and chief advisor for franchise business, emphasizes that Friendly Fire has all the prerequisites to become the next Croatian global franchise phenomenon. "With an exceptional return on investment and simple operational management, Friendly Fire is positioned to achieve great results on a global scale," said Čolak.

With the opening in Mexico, Friendly Fire not only fortifies its position in the gaming industry but also sets a historic milestone, becoming the first Croatian franchise to open in Mexico.