Highlights
- The Esports Foundation selected 40 clubs for 2026, offering up to $1M each to support organization growth and stability.
- The program spans global regions including North America, LATAM, Europe, India, CIS, and MENA, reflecting rising esports market diversification.
- EWC’s initiative supports roster building, fan engagement, and brand growth, reinforcing esports sustainability worldwide.
The Esports Foundation (EF), formerly known as Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF), has confirmed the 40 selected clubs for its 2026 Club Partner Program. As per a press release from March 3, EF is committing $20 million USD for the 2026 cohort, with each partner club being eligible to receive up to $1M in funding.
The Esports Foundation Club Partner Program is designed to provide financial support and operational stability to partnered clubs, enabling long-term investment in rosters, marketing, and engagement. The initiative was originally launched in late 2023 as the Club Support Program with 30 clubs, which was expanded to 40 clubs in early 2026.
The 2026 cohort spans across North America, LATAM, Europe, Southeast Asia, MENA, China, Korea, India, Japan, and CIS. Among the selected 40, eight clubs received direct invitations based on their 2025 EWC Club Championship standings.
The remaining 32 spots were given after an open application process across more than 175 applicants worldwide. The application process closed on Dec 18, 2025.
Hans Jagnow, Clubs, National Teams, and Players Relations Director at the foundation, said the selected cohort reflects both competitive excellence and the growth in newer markets. He further added, “It has created a platform for Clubs to strengthen their brands and engage with audiences,” while discussing the significance of EF’s Club Partner Program.
Esports Foundation Club Partner Program 2026 Cohort: Regional Breakdown
The 2026 roster not only expands at scale, but also reflects the market dynamics as Jangow mentioned. To accommodate teams from growing regions, EF has made structural changes in the seat allocations for the Club Partner Program.
Instead of 12, Europe now facilitates nine seats in the Club Partner Program, with the other three slots getting distributed across India, Turkey, and Brazil. MENA also lost one seat, which was given to LATAM.
Team Falcons (MENA), Team Liquid (North America), Team Vitality (Europe), Twisted Minds (MENA), Virtus.pro (CIS), All Gamers (China), Gen.G (Korea), and Weibo Gaming (China) are returning teams from Japan, Korea, MENA, and the CIS.
All 40 selected clubs are as follows:
| Region | Clubs |
| North America | 100 Thieves, Cloud9, NRG, Sentinels, Team Liquid |
| Europe | Fnatic, G2 Esports, Gentle Mates, HEROIC, MOUZ, NAVI, Team Heretics, Team Spirit |
| Turkey (First-time) | Alpha7 Esports, FUT Esports |
| China | Edward Gaming, JD Gaming, NIP.eStar, Wolves Esports, Weibo Gaming, All Gamers |
| Korea | T1, Gen.G |
| Japan | REJECT, ZETA DIVISION |
| MENA | Titan Esports Club, Team Falcons, Twisted Minds |
| Southeast Asia | GAM Esports, ONIC, Team RRQ, Team Secret |
| India | GodLike, S8UL |
| Brazil | FURIA, Fluxo W7M |
| Latin America | 9z Globant, LEVIATAN |
| CIS | Virtus.pro |
The program's design functions less as a sponsorship vehicle and more as a structural investment in the ecosystem's long-term viability. In 2025, member clubs generated over 300M campaign views, and engaged more than 10M fans with over 370 projects. EF also launched a Superfan program during EWC 2025, which brought 2K fans to the gaming arena in Riyadh.
"Through the Club Partner Program, we've been able to connect our global fans with the key moments that have defined Team Vitality," said Fabien "Neo" Devide, Team Vitality Chairman and co-founder. EF’s model aligns with shifting market dynamics in the global esports ecosystem. EF, the Saudi Arabian organization, responsible for both Esports World Cup and Esports Nations Cup, is trying to address the financial pressure through centralized funding and global visibility.
