Confirmation has arrived regarding the long-standing rumors that have been circulating in industry circles and social media platforms: the Esports World Cup 2026 (EWC) is scheduled to take place in Paris, France.
This marks a significant shift as the tournament will be hosted outside of Saudi Arabia for the first time.
The decision to move the global esports festival comes in the midst of ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Recent drone attacks targeting Riyadh and the nearby King Khalid International Airport by Iran during the winter and spring sparked speculation online about the potential cancellation or relocation of the event.
Suspicions grew following a report by ECHO MENA, citing sources from ESL FACEIT Group, the company in charge of organizing the tournament for the Esports World Cup Foundation. According to their findings, organizers were contemplating moving the event to Paris La Défense Arena in France.
Paris La Défense Arena has previously hosted Karmine Corp’s KCX esports events and is also scheduled to host Rocket League and Call of Duty League Majors in May-June.
Initially denying the reports on social media, EWC later removed the posts, further adding to the speculation surrounding the future of the tournament.
Esports World Cup 2026 is poised to be the premier gaming and esports festival of the year, offering a total prize pool of $75,000,000 spread across 21 disciplines, including a variety of the world’s top PC, console, and mobile titles. The event is scheduled to run from July 6 to August 23.
The upcoming event will signify the third edition of the festival, with both previous editions drawing strong global viewership and significant cumulative media value. The second edition, in particular, showcased substantial year-over-year growth, with overall viewership metrics and total media exposure increasing by approximately 45-52% compared to the inaugural event.