Esports World Cup 2026 opens in Paris with $75 million prize pool and 2,000 players

PARIS: Game on. The world’s biggest esports tournament has gone global, with the first international edition of the Esports World Cup 2026 officially opening in Paris, bringing together more than 2,000 players and 200 clubs from over 100 countries for seven weeks of top-tier competitive gaming.

Organised by the Esports Foundation, the event runs until August 23 at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. Competitors will battle across 25 tournaments covering 24 popular game titles for a record-breaking prize pool of $75 million, approximately Rs 716 crore.

The finalists earned their places through the largest qualification programme in the tournament’s history. More than 1.5 million players took part in 330 Road to EWC qualification events, publisher leagues and international circuits before securing a spot at the global championship.

The organisers said the move to Paris marks a new chapter for the Esports World Cup, which debuted in Saudi Arabia. The French capital, known for hosting major international sporting events, has been chosen as the first overseas venue as the tournament expands its global footprint.

Speaking at the opening press conference at the Hôtel de Ville, Esports Foundation chief executive officer Ralf Reichert said the tournament brings together the world’s best players and clubs while introducing a unique Club Championship format that rewards consistent performances across multiple games rather than success in a single title.

Esports Foundation board member, HRH prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan, said the event had grown from a vision launched in Saudi Arabia into a global platform connecting players, clubs and fans worldwide, while reaffirming that Riyadh would remain the tournament’s home.

Welcoming the event to France, French minister of sports, youth, and community Lif Marina Ferrari said hosting the first international edition reflected the country’s ambition to become a major destination for esports and announced that France would unveil a national esports development strategy for 2026 to 2030 later this year.

Football icon Cristiano Ronaldo and chess world champion Magnus Carlsen have returned as global ambassadors, underlining the event’s growing influence beyond gaming and into mainstream sport and entertainment.

A key attraction remains the Club Championship, where organisations earn points across multiple titles. Of the total prize pool, $30 million has been earmarked for the Club Championship standings, with the winning club set to receive $7 million. Defending champion Team Falcons will be aiming to secure a third consecutive title after victories in 2024 and 2025.

The tournament is expected to deliver the largest broadcast in esports history. More than 100 broadcast and OTT partners will air over 7,000 hours of live coverage across 160 countries in over 40 languages. Organisers also expect up to 5,000 official co-streamers, a 42 per cent year-on-year increase, to expand the competition’s reach through creator-led communities.

This year’s Esports World Cup features competitions in blockbuster titles including Counter-Strike 2, League of Legends, VALORANT, Dota 2, PUBG MOBILE, EA SPORTS FC 26, Fortnite, Rocket League, Tekken 8 and Chess. As competitive gaming continues to attract larger audiences and investment, the Paris edition signals the tournament’s ambition to establish itself as esports’ premier annual global spectacle.