The Esports World Cup is leaving Saudi Arabia for the first time. The 2026 edition will be held in Paris, France, from July 6 through August 23, the Esports Foundation announced today.
Previously, rumors were going around that the Esports World Cup 2026 could move out of Riyadh due to Middle East conflicts. The decision came out of an extended review process. With the situation in the region in flux, the Foundation decided to move up its plans for rotating the event internationally rather than waiting. The idea was to give players, clubs, publishers, partners, and fans a clear answer sooner rather than later, without dismantling what makes EWC work.
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.
Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports Foundation
The numbers from the 2025 edition give a sense of the scale they’re working with. The event has over 750 million viewers worldwide, 350 million hours watched, and a peak concurrent viewership of close to 8 million. The broadcast reached 140 countries across 35 languages through nearly 100 partners and over 800 channels.
The 2026 event will follow a similar format, with more than 2,000 players, 200 clubs from over 100 countries, 24 games across 25 tournaments, and a prize pool that tops $75 million. The venue in Paris will be confirmed in the coming weeks.