Esports World Cup 2026 Sets New Records in Paris

The 2026 Esports World Cup (EWC) has concluded its first edition outside Saudi Arabia, bringing 25 tournaments across 24 games to an end in Paris. More than 2K players representing 200 clubs from over 100 countries competed across 25 tournaments in 24 games for a record $75M USD prize pool between July 6 and Aug 23, 2026.

The competitions recorded more than 500K visits, highlighting the scale of the EWC’s first edition in Paris.

The Paris edition also expanded the EWC’s physical and digital reach. Organizers reported 175K tickets sold for esports competitions, up 94% from 2025, while venues, Fan Fest activities, and city activations generated more than 2M visits. Coverage through more than 100 broadcast and OTT partners reached audiences in 47 languages, with 5K creators and co-streamers supporting the event.

CEO of the Esports Foundation, Ralf Reichert, stated that the event showed that competitive gaming can reach major global stages while retaining its community focus.

EWC 2026 Delivers Viewership Growth and Historic Esports Moments

The tournament recorded 850M viewers and 440M hours watched, representing year-over-year (YoY) increases of 13% and 26%. League of Legends (LoL) produced the event’s highest peak audience at 4.3M viewers. The competition followed a year-round qualification structure in which more than 1.5M players participated across 330 Road to EWC events.

The competition also produced several notable results.

France’s Caliste “Caliste” Henry-Hennebert led Karmine Corp to the LoL Grand Final, while 15-year-old Chilean Jaime “Craime” Bustos became the youngest EWC champion after defeating two EVO champions. Samy “dralii” Hajji became the first three-time EWC champion with his Rocket League victory, while Magnus Carlsen retained the Chess title without losing a game.

AG.AL ultimately won the Club Championship with 5.3K points and $7M, with Gwendal “Gwen” Duparc’s Trackmania victory deciding the standings. Team Falcons finished second with 4.6K points, followed by Team Vitality, Natus Vincere, and Team Liquid.

The event’s first move beyond Riyadh also strengthened its international footprint. More than 22.6K campaign placements reached 94% of Parisians, while the EWC formed a cooperation framework with France’s Ministry of Sports covering youth development, esports participation, digital skills, and French talent.

The EWC will return to Riyadh in 2027.