Paris will host the 2026 Esports World Cup, marking the first time the tournament has been staged outside Saudi Arabia.
The Esports Foundation says the event will run from July 6th to August 23rd and will bring more than 2,000 players and 200 clubs from more than 100 countries to the French capital. The tournament will feature 24 games across 25 competitions, with a total Prize Pool of more than US$75m.
According to Arab News. the move to Paris follows an evaluation process by organisers and comes “in light of the current regional situation”. Riyadh had previously been scheduled to host the 2026 edition, after establishing the Esports World Cup as one of the largest events in competitive gaming.
Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports Foundation, said Riyadh had helped turn the Esports World Cup into a global phenomenon, but added that Paris would become the first international chapter in the tournament’s history. Organisers said the French capital was selected because of its global sporting profile, fan culture and local support for esports and gaming events.
The relocation is commercially significant for the esports sector. The Esports World Cup has been closely tied to Saudi Arabia’s wider investment in gaming, sport and entertainment, including the Kingdom’s ambition to become a global esports hub. Taking the event to Europe tests whether the format can scale beyond Riyadh and operate as a rotating international tournament.
The previous edition in Riyadh drew a global audience of over 750m viewers, generating more than 350m hours watched and was broadcast across 28 platforms by 97 partners in 35 languages.
For betting and gaming operators, the move is also relevant. Esports is an important growth vertical across digital wagering, fan engagement and interactive entertainment. A major European staging of the Esports World Cup will increase visibility around esports markets, particularly among younger audiences and mobile-first gaming communities.
