Aug 10, 2026.
New city, bigger bracket, same fast-paced chess. After an explosive debut last summer, chess returns to the 2026 Esports World Cup. From August 11 to August 15, 22 of the world’s top players will gather at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles to battle for their share of the $1,500,000 prize pool and this year’s EWC title.
Chess at EWC 2026 runs from August 11 to August 15, beginning with an eight-player double-elimination Play-In on August 11, where matches consist of two games using a 10-minute time control with no increment and Armageddon as a tiebreaker. The Group Stage follows on August 12 and 13, with two groups of eight competing in double-elimination brackets under the same match format.
The top eight then advance to the Playoffs on August 14 and 15, where a single-elimination bracket features four-game quarterfinals, six-game semifinals and a Grand Final played as a best-of-three sets, with the first two sets consisting of four games and a potential final set consisting of two games.
Magnus Carlsen returns to the stage as the inaugural Esports World Cup Chess champion. Representing Team Liquid, the Norwegian grandmaster dominated the 2025 tournament in Riyadh to claim the first-ever EWC Chess title, automatically qualifying for this year’s event. He enters Paris as the favorite once again, but with an even bigger target on his back.
The biggest threat to Carlsen’s title defense will likely come from a stacked Team Falcons roster featuring two of his fiercest rivals: American speed-chess icon Hikaru Nakamura and Iranian-French prodigy Alireza Firouzja.
Firouzja proved himself a worthy challenger in last year’s Grand Final, while Nakamura remains one of the world’s most dangerous rapid and blitz players. With both Falcons stars looking to dethrone Team Liquid’s champion, the club enters Paris with two razor-sharp claws ready to snatch the EWC trophy and secure vital points in the Club Championship race.
Chess at EWC 26 carries added importance in the Club Championship race. With Team Liquid still pointless heading into Week 6, Carlsen will need to deliver if the club is to make an impact in this year’s standings.
Team Falcons, meanwhile, cannot afford to rest after securing a crucial Street Fighter 6 victory last week, with AG.AL hot on their heels and fielding Denis Lazavik in the competition. Every point will matter as Falcons look to protect their lead atop the leaderboard.
2026
Esports World Cup Trophy Award Ceremony crowns AG.AL
Thousands of competitors have traveled to the Esports World Cup 2026 in search of glory and millions in prize money, but in the end there could only be one winner of the Club Championship. The trophy award ceremony celebrated AG.AL as the Club Championship winner while honoring the achievements of each and every player involved.
2026
Notable Stories of EWC 26 Week 7
Week 7 of the Esports World Cup 2026 is officially in the books and with it, the EWC comes to a close. The final week saw champions crowned in Fortnite, Trackmania, CS2 and Crossfire, bringing one last wave of high-stakes action, dramatic finishes and standout performances. After seven weeks of competition, the Club Championships winner has been crowned, but let's not forget about all the action from this final week.
2026
CS2 at EWC 26: Spirit close out the event with a win
Team Spirit has defeated FUT Esports in the Grand Finals of Counter-Strike 2 at the Esports World Cup 2026. The finals reached their pinnacle at the Accor Arena, in Paris, France, marking the thrilling conclusion to seven-weeks of competition at EWC 26. Congratulations to Team Spirit.
2026
EWC 2026 Week 7 Champions Recap
Week 7 of the Esports World Cup 2026 saw the crowning of four new champions, in Fortnite, Crossfire, Trackmania, and Counter-Strike 2. The final week of the tournament also decided the Club Championship, where a new club was crowned for the first time in EWC history. Here’s a look back at every champion from EWC 26 Week 7.