The 40 esports organizations that will be part of the Esports World Cup’s Club Partner Program have been leaked in advance. And a lot of popular names are missing.
The Club Partner Program includes “leading” esports orgs that will receive six-figure funding from the Esports World Cup Foundation. These selected orgs will also get access to the EWCF Superfan Program and collaboration opportunities to build up fan engagement ahead of the Esports World Cup 2026. With the esports industry operating largely in the red, it’s a huge opportunity for selected orgs.
The Esports World Cup takes place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 6th to August 23rd. There will be 24 esports tournaments over the summer, from League of Legends to Fortnite to Street Fighter 6 to Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.
Teams in Esports World Cup Partner Program
According to a leak from Sheep Esports, the 40 esports organizations accepted into the Club Partner Program are split into two categories. Eight teams qualified for a return to the program based on how the org’s teams performed in various esports titles last year. The other organizations come from widespread regions; they must have teams in multiple titles and exceptional performance in international tournaments.
Here are the esports organizations in the Club Partner Program, not confirmed by the EWCF yet:
Returning Teams:
- Team Falcons
- Team Liquid
- Team Vitality
- Twisted Minds
- Virtus.pro
- All Gamers / Anyone’s Legend International
- Gen.G Esports
- Weibo Gaming
Organizations That Qualified:
- Sentinels
- NRG Esports
- 100 Thieves
- Cloud9
- G2 Esports
- Fnatic
- Gentle Mates
- Natus Vincere
- Wolves Esports
- JD Gaming
- EDward Gaming
- Titan Esports Club
- Rex Regum Qeon
- Onic Esports
- Team Secret
- GAM Esports
- Leviatán
- 9z Globant
- S8UL Esports
- GodLike Esports
- ZETA DIVISION
- REJECT
- FURIA
- Fluxo W7M
- T1
- Team Spirit
- Team Heretics
- Heroic
- MOUZ
- Ninjas in Pyjamas
- Alpha7 Esports
- FUT Esports
Some big names aren’t included on the list, shocking the esports community. This includes MiBR, Aurora Gaming, Movistar KOI, FaZe Clan, LOUD, and Karmine Corp. However, some of these popular esports orgs thrive only in one title, and the EWC is looking for organizations that will field teams across multiple tournaments.
Still, some esports fans wondered if certain esports organizations didn’t even apply to be in the program. There are ongoing concerns with Saudi Arabia’s politics and ongoing human rights violations, and the esports community has accused the country of “esports washing” in an attempt to cover these controversies. Saudi Arabia currently has a 2030 strategy that includes the Public Investment Fund pouring $38 billion into gaming and esports.