The Esports Foundation announced that the 2026 Esports World Cup (hereinafter referred to as EWC) will be held in Paris, France, from Monday, July 6, 2026, to Sunday, August 23, 2026.
This will mark the first time the EWC is held outside Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
EWC 2026 Tournament to Be Held in Paris, France, Marking First Event Outside Riyadh
The Esports Foundation revealed that the EWC 2026 tournament will be held in Paris, France.
It is scheduled to take place from Monday, July 6, 2026, to Sunday, August 23, 2026.
This is the first time that the EWC will be held outside Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.
Following the steady growth of the EWC, including capturing a massive international audience, and taking into account the current regional situation, organizers decided to move forward with their international tour concept ahead of schedule.
During the 2025 tournament, the EWC was broadcast in 35 languages to more than 750 million people in over 140 countries worldwide.
Total viewing time exceeded 350 million hours, and peak concurrent viewership reached approximately 8 million people.
For the 2026 tournament, more than 2,000 players and over 200 clubs from more than 100 countries will participate, competing across 24 game titles and 25 tournaments for a total prize pool of more than 75 million dollars.
The stage of battle moves from the futuristic city of Riyadh to the City of Light, Paris, but the EWC is certain to deliver the same level of excitement as always.
Specific venues in Paris will be announced at a later date.
For more details, please visit the EWC 2026 official website.
Comment From Esports Foundation CEO Ralf Reichert
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.
“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.
Esports World Cup 2026 is coming to Paris 🇫🇷
July 6 - August 23
À bientôt ! pic.twitter.com/unj2g6qW4h
— Esports World Cup (@EWC_EN) May 20, 2026
