TECHTALKS

Paris hosts first international Esports World Cup

DT · Jul 11, 2026, 2:15 AM

From League of Legends to VALORANT, Dota 2 and MLBB The world’s biggest esports tournament has kicked off in Paris, where the best players on the planet will compete for $75 million over the next seven weeks. — PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF EWC

The Esports World Cup 2026 officially opened in Paris on Tuesday, marking the first international edition of the world’s largest esports tournament.

Running through 23 August at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, the event brings together more than 2,000 players, 200 esports clubs and competitors from over 100 countries. They will compete in 25 tournaments across 24 game titles for a record $75 million prize pool.

The finalists emerged from the largest “Road to EWC” qualification campaign to date, with more than 1.5 million players competing in 330 tournaments worldwide.

At the center of the competition is the Club Championship, where organizations earn points across multiple titles. Of the total prize pool, $30 million is allocated to the Club Championship, including $7 million for the winning club. Team Falcons enters as the defending champion.

Esports Foundation CEO Ralf Reichert said the tournament rewards not only individual champions but also the consistency and depth of esports organizations across multiple games.

The opening ceremony at Hôtel de Ville featured remarks from Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire, while Saudi Esports Foundation board member Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan said the tournament’s expansion reflects esports’ growing global appeal.

French Sports Minister Marina Ferrari said hosting the event reinforces France’s position as a destination for major international sporting competitions and supports the country’s long-term esports development strategy.

The tournament also welcomed back global ambassadors Cristiano Ronaldo and Magnus Carlsen.

Fans in more than 160 countries can watch the event through over 100 broadcast and streaming partners, with coverage available in more than 40 languages. Up to 5,000 official co-streamers are also expected to broadcast the competition.

This year’s Esports World Cup features titles including League of Legends, VALORANT, Dota 2, Counter-Strike 2, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, PUBG Mobile, Apex Legends, Fortnite, Tekken 8, EA SPORTS FC 26 and Chess.