Esports Foundation announced that the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 will be held in Paris from 6 July to 23 August, marking the tournament’s first edition outside Riyadh.
The Esports Foundation said the move reflects its long-term goal of rotating the event internationally following an “extended evaluation process” and amid the current regional situation. “Riyadh is the home of EWC and one of the world’s leading hubs for esports,” said Ralf Reichert, chief executive officer of the Esports Foundation. “This year, we’re excited to bring EWC to Paris for its first edition outside Saudi Arabia.” The organization added that Paris was selected because of its reputation as a global center for sports, culture and entertainment.
The 2026 edition is expected to feature more than 2,000 players and 200 clubs from over 100 countries competing across 24 games and 25 tournaments for a prize pool exceeding $75 million. Organizers said the 2025 tournament reached more than 750 million viewers globally and generated over 350 million hours watched across 28 platforms and 97 broadcast partners.