Today, the Esports Foundation announced that the 2026 edition of the Esports World Cup will be hosted in the capital of France, Paris.
It’s the first time that the event is held outside of Saudi Arabia. As we already knew, it’ll happen this summer, between July 6 and August 23.
The news was made official via a meeting between Esports Foundation CEO Ralf Reichert and French President Emmanuel Macron.
According to the organizers, the 2026 edition of the Esports World Cup will play host to over 2,000 players and 200 Clubs from more than 100 countries, competing across 24 games and 25 tournaments. The prize pool is rather massive, set at over $75 million.
According to the organizers, moving the 2026 edition from Riyadh to Paris will accelerate the Esports Foundation’s long-term ambition to set up a global rotation for the event. On top of that, it makes sense ” in light of the current regional situation.”
According to the FAQ, the plan is for the event to return to Riyadh in 2027.
The press release included a comment from CEO Ralf Reichert himself.
“Riyadh helped turn the Esports World Cup into a global phenomenon. 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. 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.”
For the moment, specific details about the venue have not been shared, but they will be communicated in the coming weeks. Clubs, teams, players, and fans who already have tickets to the event will be contacted directly.
Specifically, all ticket holders will receive a full refund and a special promo code. New tickets for the event in Paris will go on sale “in the coming weeks.”
