The Esports Foundation (EF, former Esports World Cup Foundation) has officially announced the 40 clubs selected for the 2026 Club Partner Program. Now in its third edition, the $20 million initiative offers direct financial support of up to $1 million per club to expand their global reach, create content, and build narrative-driven fan campaigns leading up to the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026.

While the program still offers a substantial amount in funding per club, the real story is the selection committee’s aggressive pivot toward rapidly growing regional markets.

Also read:

The selection process for the 2026 program was remarkably cutthroat. Eight clubs earned direct invitations based on their standings in the 2025 EWC Club Championship, while the remaining 32 slots were filled through an open application process that received over 175 submissions worldwide.

The selected teams collectively represent an audience of over 300 million fans across key regions including North America, Europe, MENA, China, Korea, Southeast Asia, India, and Latin America. According to Hans Jagnow, Director of Clubs, National Teams and Players Relations at the Esports Foundation, the program continues to double down on high-growth territories like Turkey, which enters the fold for the first time.

The ultimate goal of the financial injection is to bring fans closer to the action. Over the past editions, clubs have used program funding to execute over 370 initiatives, including super-fan programs and massive digital activations.

“The Club Partner Program gives us the platform to build around our players and the moments that define our season,” said T1 CEO Joe Marsh. “It allows us to take what defines T1 at home and carry that experience to a global audience.”

However, membership does not guarantee qualification for the Esports World Cup 2026 itself—every single team on this list will still have to fight their way through official competitive pathways to make it to the main stage. The EWC is still planned for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, even though regional tensions due to the war in Iran puts a question mark on whether plans will change until July.

Analysis: The 2025 vs. 2026 Roster Shake-Up

A comparison between the 2025 Partner Program and this newly announced 2026 list reveals a major shift in focus. While 31 clubs successfully retained their spots, 9 massive organisations from 2025 were left out, and 9 fresh faces have joined the ranks.

Who was left out?

The exclusion of some of these legacy brands is going to make waves in the industry. Big names like FaZe Clan, LOUD, Karmine Corp, and Movistar KOI were noticeably omitted from the 2026 list. Here are the 9 clubs missing from last year’s roster:

  1. Bilibili Gaming (China)
  2. EVOS (Southeast Asia)
  3. FaZe Clan (North America)
  4. Gaimin Gladiators (Europe)
  5. Karmine Corp (Europe)
  6. Movistar KOI (Europe)
  7. LOUD (Brazil)
  8. POWR (MENA)
  9. Team BDS (Europe)

The list signals that the Esports Foundation is not considering social media or fanbase numbers for partner teams. While we cannot confirm the exact reasons why they were left out, dropping teams with huge followings like FaZe Clan, LOUD, and Karmine Corp—all of which have defined the cultural landscape of esports over the last years—is a bold move by the EF.

Arthur Perticoz, former CEO and current Board Member of Karmine Corp, shared on his Twitch channel that being left out of the Partner Program will result in approximately $200,000–$300,000 less on the organisation’s balance sheet. He also stated that he does not believe the number of games an organisation competes in was a determining factor in the selection; instead, he views regional positioning as the primary driver behind the selections.

The 2026 Newcomers

To replace them, the Esports Foundation has leaned heavily into surging regional forces. For example, India expands its presence to two clubs with the addition of GodLike, and FUT Esports brings Turkey into the mix. Here are the 9 newcomers:

  1. 9z Globant (Argentina / LATAM)
  2. Alpha7 Esports (Brazil)
  3. Fluxo W7M (Brazil)
  4. FUT Esports (Turkey)
  5. GAM Esports (Vietnam / SEA)
  6. GodLike (India)
  7. NRG (North America)
  8. Team Heretics (Europe)
  9. Titan Esports Club (China)

Eudson Filho, CEO of Fluxo W7M, commented on the significance of the club’s inclusion: “[EWC] has become one of the largest stages in the global competitive scene, and participating in this initiative allows us to further expand our international presence, strengthen our teams, and continue developing relevant projects for the community.”

The turnover suggests that the Esports Foundation is placing a higher premium on actual cross-game performance and engaged, high-growth regional communities over legacy Western brand names. A strong presence in mobile games is notably a strong factor for selection, given the popularity of games like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) at the EWC.

MLBB’s publisher MOONTON Games was recently acquired by Savvy Games Group, the same institution behind the Esports Foundation.

See the full list of 2026 EWC partners below:

  • 100 Thieves;
  • 9z Globant;
  • All Gamers;
  • Alpha7 Esports;
  • Cloud9;
  • Edward Gaming;
  • Fluxo W7M;
  • Fnatic;
  • FURIA;
  • FUT Esports;
  • G2 Esports;
  • GAM Esports;
  • Gen.G;
  • Gentle Mates;
  • GodLike;
  • HEROIC;
  • JD Gaming;
  • LEVIATAN;
  • MOUZ;
  • NAVI;
  • NIP;
  • NRG;
  • ONIC;
  • REJECT;
  • S8UL;
  • Sentinels;
  • T1;
  • Team Falcons;
  • Team Heretics;
  • Team Liquid;
  • Team RRQ;
  • Team Secret;
  • Team Spirit;
  • Team Vitality;
  • Titan Esports Club;
  • Twisted Minds;
  • Virtus.pro;
  • Weibo Gaming;
  • Wolves Esports;
  • ZETA DIVISION.

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: