The 2026 edition of the Esports World Cup (EWC) will take place in Paris, France, instead of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the Esports Foundation (EF) announced on Thursday.
EWC 2026 will take place between July 6 and August 23, with over 2,000 players and 200 Clubs from over 100 countries competing in 24 games across 25 tournaments for a share of the record-breaking USD 75 million+ prize pool.
The EWC began in 2024, with the first two editions of the tournament taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. However, the political turmoil in West Asia — following air strikes by Israel and the United States of America on Iran — has influenced the decision to shift the tournament out of Saudi Arabia.
“Following an extended evaluation process, and in light of the current regional situation, the Esports Foundation decided to accelerate that international rotation ambition for the 2026 edition, offering clarity and stability for players, Clubs, publishers, partners, and fans worldwide, while preserving the tournament’s scale, structure and competitive integrity,” a media release from the Foundation read.
Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports Foundation, said, “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.
Details on the new venue for EWC 2026 in Paris will be announced in the coming weeks.
“Paris has hosted some of the world’s biggest sporting events and is one of the great global capitals of sport, culture and entertainment,” Reichert added.
“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.”
Published on May 21, 2026