EWC 2026 move to Paris confirmed

Last week, we reported on rather credible rumors that the Esports World Cup 2026 mega-event would move from Saudi Arabia to France. That doesn’t come as much of a surprise, given the current conflict in the Middle East.

Now, the Esports Foundation has confirmed the move from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to Paris, France. In a relatively short official post, the Esports Foundation noted that the EWC 2026 event will take place from 6 July to 23 August 2026

The announcement wasn’t made lightly, as the Esports Foundation noted an extended evaluation process given the current regional situation.

The CEO of Esports Foundation, Ralf Reichert, explained that: “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.”

No matter where EWC 2026 takes place, we can’t wait to deliver all the coverage and watch as many events as possible. The mega-event features more than 2000 players from over 200 Clubs, and over 100 countries. With 24 games and 25 esports tournaments, alongside a combined prize pool of over $75 million, it’s gonna be awesome!

Header image via Esports Foundation.