3 min readMay 21, 2026 11:57 AM IST
Amid rising tensions in the Middle East following an escalation into full-blown war involving Iran, Israel, and the United States, the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026, which was originally scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia, has been relocated to France.
The tournament will now be held in the French capital, Paris, instead of Riyadh, the Saudi capital. The competition is set to run from July 6 to August 23.
The Esports Foundation (EF) announced the development late on Wednesday. “The Esports Foundation is guided by a long-term vision of growing its international tournaments and competitions through collaboration with audiences, partners, and host markets around the world over time. Following an extended evaluation process, and in light of the current regional situation, the Esports Foundation decided to accelerate that international rotation ambition for the 2026 edition, offering clarity and stability for players, clubs, publishers, partners, and fans worldwide, while preserving the tournament’s scale, structure, and competitive integrity,” the EF statement read.
French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the opportunity, calling it a “historic first and an honor.”
The EWC will be held in Paris!
It is a historic first and an honor for us. Thank you to Saudi Arabia for their trust. We are ready to host the Esports World Cup 2026. Very proud to welcome the world once again. pic.twitter.com/agipxRsCkD
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) May 20, 2026
In 2025, the EWC reached more than 750 million viewers worldwide and generated over 350 million hours watched, with peak concurrent viewership nearing 8 million. The event was broadcast across 28 platforms through 97 partners and over 800 channels in 35 languages, reaching fans in 140 countries.
The 2026 edition of the EWC is set to feature more than 2,000 players and 200 clubs from over 100 countries. They will compete across 24 games in 25 tournaments for a share of a prize pool exceeding $75 million.
“Riyadh helped turn the Esports World Cup into a global phenomenon,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports Foundation. “Riyadh is the home of the 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 the 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 the EWC. Paris now becomes the first international chapter in EWC history.”
Details regarding the new venue for EWC 2026 in Paris will be announced at a later date.
