Esports World Cup 2026 to be hosted in Paris, France
May 20, 2026.
Esports World Cup 2026 will now be hosted in Paris, France, from JUL 6 - AUG 23
From the very beginning, the vision for the Esports World Cup has been to be a truly global platform for esports, bringing the world’s biggest celebration of competitive gaming to major cities around the world over time.
Following an extended evaluation process in light of the current regional situation, the Esports Foundation decided to accelerate that international rotation for the 2026 edition. Our EWC fans are at the heart of everything we do, and we wanted to make sure that you and the Players, Clubs and Teams were offered clarity and stability you need to plan your event attendance and travel plans.
“Riyadh helped turn the Esports World Cup into a global phenomenon,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports Foundation. “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 ”
Here’s a summary of what’s coming to Paris:
- Event Dates JUL 6 - AUG 23
- More than 2,000 players from over 200 Clubs, from 100+ countries
- 24 games across 25 tournaments
- A record-breaking prize pool exceeding $75 million
Tickets for EWC26 in Paris will go on sale in the coming weeks, along with details on the new venue, fan experience, tournament schedule, and more.
Thank you for being part of the EWC journey. Your energy and love for gaming and esports continue to drive everything we do, and we’re excited to welcome you and everyone from the global community for an unforgettable EWC in Paris, we will update you with more details soon.
FAQs
EWC26 will be hosted in Paris, France and details on the new venue will be announced in the coming weeks.
The Esports World Cup was created with a long-term vision to become a global platform for esports, bringing the event to major cities around the world over time, and the decision to host the 2026 edition in Paris reflects that vision.
Uniting the world’s top players, Clubs, publishers, and fans across seven weeks of elite competition and delivering an event at that scale requires the right host environment every year.
After close coordination with stakeholders across the ecosystem, and in light of the current regional situation, Paris was selected for EWC 2026 because it provides the international accessibility, infrastructure, and competitive conditions needed to deliver the event at full global scale, while also providing incredible local support and a passionate community of fans.
While Paris will host the 2026 edition, Riyadh remains central to the event’s long-term future with the intention to return in 2027.
The event dates remain the same, there might be a slight shift in the tournaments’ schedule. More information will come in the upcoming few weeks.
No, the games part of the Club Championship remains the same.
All ticket holders will automatically receive a full refund for tickets purchased for EWC26 in Riyadh. Refunds will be processed to the same payment method or bank card you used to make the ticket purchase. At most, this will take 21 working days, but in most cases it's a lot faster.
Tickets for EWC26 in Paris will go on sale in the coming weeks. As an original ticket holder, you will receive a special promo code when the platform reopens.
We’re working as hard as we can to finalize all the details before tickets go live.There are several complexities we’re working on to make an awesome fan experience from start to finish. We know everyone is eager for ticket info, and we truly appreciate the excitement and patience. Sign up to our newsletter to be informed once tickets go live!
We’re working as hard as we can to finalize all the details before tickets go live and to create an awesome fan experience from start to finish. We know everyone is eager for ticket info, and we truly appreciate the excitement and patience. Details on tickets will be announced in the coming weeks, sign up to our mailing list to be notified when tickets are released!
More news on the EWC Festival will be shared in the coming weeks.
