The Esports Foundation (EF, former Esports World Cup Foundation) has announced that the 2026 edition of the Esports World Cup (EWC) will be hosted in Paris, France. Scheduled to run from 6 July through 23 August 2026, the decision marks the first time the multi-game tournament will take place outside of its original home in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Following an extended evaluation process, the organisers chose to accelerate their long-term international rotation strategy for the 2026 iteration, aiming to secure operational clarity and stability for competing clubs, players, publishers, and commercial partners in face to the geopolitical instability currently taking place in the Middle East.
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The decision to relocate follows escalating security concerns tied to the ongoing conflict in Iran. Despite previous assurances that the flagship event would remain in the Saudi Arabian capital, the instability prompted organisers to seek a more stable environment. Moving the seven-week event to French territory is intended to ensure safer, smoother logistics and protect the global esports community from unpredictable flight disruptions that may happen across Middle Eastern airspace. For the past month, various internal departments within the EF were already coordinating the transition.
“Riyadh helped turn the Esports World Cup into a global phenomenon,” stated Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, following a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Palais Élysée. “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.”
The tournament structure will maintain its established competitive scale despite the change in scenery. The event is set to feature more than 2,000 players and 200 professional esports organisations representing over 100 countries. Competitors will vie for a share of a record-breaking aggregate prize pool valued at over $75 million across 25 distinct tournaments covering 24 competitive video game titles.
By moving to Paris, the EWC leverages an established European tournament infrastructure and a familiar visa framework for Western teams. The French capital has recently hosted major Rainbow Six and VALORANT tournaments, along with the recent Rocket League and Call of Duty League majors.
However, relocating primary operations away from the custom-built Boulevard City complex in Riyadh represents a significant strategic departure for the Saudi-backed initiative. The move shifts activity away from the original project goal of developing Saudi Arabia’s local tech, tourism, and entertainment industries.
The shift to a French venue creates an unexpected home-field environment for prominent regional organisations such as Team Vitality and Karmine Corp, which just one day earlier joined the EWC Club Partner Program.
Tickets for the 2026 edition originally went on sale in January, with numerous international fans purchasing Early Bird passes and premium hospitality packages. Following the official venue announcement, the EF and its partners are expected to clarify whether those existing ticket purchases will remain valid for the Paris-based replacement event or if a full refund window will be opened. Specific facility allocations within Paris for the seven-week schedule are expected to be disclosed in the coming weeks.
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