The Esports Foundation (EF, former Esports Word Cup Foundation) has announced that the second season of the documentary series Esports World Cup: Level Up will premiere globally on Prime Video on 26 June 2026.

Directed by Emmy-winning filmmaker R.J. Cutler and produced by This Machine (a part of Sony Pictures Television), all five episodes of the docuseries will be released simultaneously. The project portraits the personal experiences and structural pressures surrounding professional players, clubs, and their families during the 2025 Esports World Cup (EWC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

According to official communications, the goal of the series is to provide mainstream audiences with an behind-the-scenes look at the multi-title competitive gaming ecosystem around the EWC, which featured a $70m prize pool.

Also read:

The incoming season documents several competitors across a variety of disciplines, combining on-site coverage in Riyadh with at-home footage filmed across the United Kingdom, United States, and Indonesia.

Featured storylines track athletes including Fnatic VALORANT player Jake “Boaster” Howlett, Team Vitality Mobile Legends: Bang Bang competitor Vivi “Vivian” Indrawaty, and Team Liquid chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen as they navigate international competition. The episodes also capture the broader commercial and entertainment activations of the 2025 tournament, including participations and appearances from figures beyond the gaming community such as football icon Cristiano Ronaldo and musical artist Post Malone.

“Level Up captures the human side of what we are building with the Esports World Cup,” said the CEO of the Esports Foundation Ralf Reichert.“EWC creates the stage: the best games, the best Clubs, the best players, life-changing stakes and moments that bring together a global gaming community of billions. The documentary takes you closer to the people inside those moments: their pressure, their ambition, their families and the stories that make esports meaningful to a new generation.” 

“Esports is one of the most dynamic cultural movements of our time. In season two, we continue to chronicle not just the competition, but the lives, dreams, and sacrifices of the players at the center of it, revealing a world that is both intensely personal and globally resonant,” said the Director R.J. Cutler.

However, findings from The Esports Radar indicate that the docuseries will not return for a third season under its current production layout with This Machine. Instead, a separate production framework is currently being assembled by the Esports Foundation, though it remains unconfirmed whether this upcoming initiative will serve as a direct third season or transition into an entirely distinct media project.

This back-end restructuring comes as the physical tournament structure gears up for a relocation; the 2026 edition of the Esports World Cup is scheduled to take place in Paris, France, from 6 July to 23 August, hosting more than 2,000 players competing for an increased $75m total prize pool.

Subscribe to On The Radar, a weekly wrap up of esports business stories, and the fortnightly Heat Map, a deeper dive into the stories across esports business and culture.

Follow The Esports Radar on social media: