Esports World Cup 2026 Is Moving To Paris, France
The Esports World Cup is leaving Riyadh. For the first time in the event's history, the EWC will be held outside Saudi Arabia as the 2026 edition moves to Paris, France, running from July 6 through August 23. The announcement was made official today, with French President Emmanuel Macron personally welcoming Esports Foundation CEO Ralf Reichert at the Palais Elysée to mark the occasion.
Macron receiving an esports organization at a presidential palace means France is treating this as a major international sporting event, on par with how the country has hosted the Olympics, the World Cup, and the Tour de France. That's another feather on the esports industry's cap.
Paris Will Host 2,000 Players Across 24 Games
The scale of EWC 2026 stays consistent with past editions. More than 2,000 players and 200 Clubs from over 100 countries will compete across 24 games and 25 tournaments for a record-breaking $75 million-plus prize pool, surpassing last year's already-massive total. The specific Paris venue will be announced in the coming weeks. Clubs, teams, and players who already hold tickets will be contacted directly.
The 2025 EWC in Riyadh reached 750 million viewers worldwide, generated over 350 million hours watched, hit peak concurrent viewership of nearly 8 million, and was broadcast across 28 platforms through 97 partners in 35 languages, reaching fans in 140 countries. Paris will set out to do much more this year, with more games and more esports delegates than ever before.
Accelerated Global Rotation
The Esports Foundation has long spoken about a "global rotation" vision for EWC, but the 2026 shift came faster than planned. The official press release cited an "extended evaluation process" and noted the decision was made "in light of the current regional situation," likely referring to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, accelerating a rotation that was always part of the long-term plan. The phrasing is deliberate and diplomatic, but the intent is clear: the Foundation moved quickly to deliver certainty to players, Clubs, publishers, partners, and fans rather than leave the 2026 event in limbo.
"Riyadh helped turn the Esports World Cup into a global phenomenon," says Reichert in the announcement. "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. Paris has hosted some of the world's biggest sporting events and is one of the great global capitals of sport, culture, and entertainment. Paris now becomes the first international chapter in EWC history."
What Comes Next
The Esports Foundation will announce the Paris venue in the coming weeks. The competitive lineup, schedule, and Club Championship structure are expected to follow the format established in Riyadh. For the esports beat, the bigger story here is the precedent: EWC has now established that it can and will move internationally, and Paris as a first stop is a strong signal of where the Foundation sees the event's global ambitions going.
More information and FAQs are available at esportsworldcup.com.
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This story was originally published May 20, 2026 at 5:47 PM.