Left to Right- Esports Foundation CEO Ralf Reichert and President Emmanuel Macron
Esports Foundation has announced that Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026, regarded as the world’s largest esports and gaming event, will take place in Paris, France, from 6 July to 23 August. The current edition will feature more than 2,000 players and 200 clubs from over 100 countries competing across 24 games and 25 tournaments for a prize pool of over US $75 million.
Esports Foundation’s long-term goal is to grow its global esports events through partnerships with audiences, publishers, and host markets worldwide. Following a review process and considering the current regional situation, the organisation decided to host the 2026 edition of the EWC internationally while maintaining the event’s scale and competitive format.
“Riyadh helped turn the Esports World Cup into a global phenomenon,” stated Esports Foundation CEO Ralf Reichert. “Riyadh is the home of EWC and one of the world’s leading hubs for esports, powered by an incredible community of fans and long-term ambition for the future of the sport. This year, we’re excited to bring EWC to Paris for its first edition outside Saudi Arabia.”
Reichert further mentioned, “Paris has hosted some of the world’s biggest sporting events and is one of the great global capitals of sport, culture and entertainment. Together with the passion of French fans and the strong support we’ve received locally, we’re excited to bring the global esports community there for the next chapter of EWC. Paris now becomes the first international chapter in EWC history.”
In 2025, the EWC reached over 750 million viewers worldwide and recorded more than 350 million hours watched. The event was broadcast across 28 platforms through 97 broadcast partners and over 800 channels in 35 languages, reaching audiences in 140 countries.
Details on the new venue for EWC 2026 in Paris will be announced in the coming weeks. Clubs, teams, players and fans with tickets to the event will be contacted directly. More information and questions can be found on the official website.
