Reports indicate that the organizers of the Esports World Cup (EWC) have decided to move this summer's tournament from its original location in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, to the French capital, Paris.
The third edition of the Esports World Cup (EWC) was scheduled to take place in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, during July and August of 2026. However, as confirmed by GamesBeta, citing three informed sources in the world of esports, the organizers informed the relevant authorities last week that the tournament will move to Paris this year.
The ongoing war in the Middle East is the main reason for this relocation decision.
The 2026 tournament is scheduled to take place during July and August, with a total prize pool exceeding $75 million.
The tournament includes the world's most popular video games such as: Valorant, League of Legends, Dota 2, Street Fighter 6, Overwatch, Rocket League, Trackmania, Counter-Strike 2, Call of Duty, and Fortnite.
Last year’s edition attracted more than 3 million fans and more than 2,500 players and support staff.
The first edition of this tournament was held in Riyadh in 2024, and it is organized by the Esports World Cup Foundation, a non-profit arm of the Saudi Public Investment Fund. This fund is responsible for massive investments in the sports, video game, and entertainment sectors worldwide.
In fact, the tournament was planned to be held in cities other than Riyadh in exchange for hosting fees paid by those cities.
The head of the Esports Foundation previously indicated that these hosting fees would become a significant source of revenue for the tournament in the future. However, it remains unclear whether France or the city of Paris is currently paying for hosting the current edition.
