EWC 2026 is heading to France as organisers move the esports festival from Riyadh amid Middle East travel and safety concerns.
Esports World Cup 2026 heads to France
Esports World Cup 2026 will be held in France, with organisers confirming on Wednesday, May 20, that the international multi-title esports festival is moving to Paris.
The 2026 edition will mark the third Esports World Cup and the first to be held outside of Saudi Arabia, with the event relocating from its usual home in Riyadh to Paris La Défense Arena.
The decision comes after weeks of rumours around the esports industry suggesting the event could be moved due to uncertainty and ongoing geopolitical tension in the Middle East.
To ensure the safety of players, teams, staff, and fans, while also protecting the smooth running of the tournament, ESL FACEIT Group and the Esports World Cup Foundation have opted to move the event to Europe.
Paris La Défense Arena is already familiar to esports fans, having previously hosted the KCX3: Karmine Corp vs The World exhibition event. The venue is also set to host major Call of Duty League and Rocket League events, making it a fitting location for one of the biggest esports festivals on the calendar.
Esports World Cup 2026 is scheduled to run from July 6 to August 23, with a massive US$75 million prize pool spread across 21 titles.
The packed lineup includes some of the world’s biggest competitive games, with Call of Duty, Counter-Strike 2, League of Legends, Dota 2, Rainbow Six, Overwatch, VALORANT, and Rocket League all confirmed for the event.
They will be joined by Apex Legends, CrossFire, EA SPORTS FC, Fighters, Fortnite, Free Fire, Honor of Kings, Mobile Legends, PUBG Mobile, PUBG, Teamfight Tactics, Trackmania, and Chess.
The relocation is a major change for the Esports World Cup, which has quickly become one of the biggest dates on the global esports calendar. Moving to France gives the event a new stage, a new audience, and a chance to strengthen its international presence.
With dozens of elite teams, a record-breaking prize pool, and several of the biggest esports titles in the world on the schedule, the 2026 Esports World Cup is set to be the largest edition of the tournament yet.
Mark Prezelj
Esports Betting Analyst
Mark Prezelj is a Slovenian esports betting analyst with over 3,500 articles at EsportBet and the founder of Lines64.com — someone who has been reading odds longer than most readers have been watching esports.
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