Esports World Cup to move to Paris for 2026 as reports confirm rumors

Michael Hassall Published 14/05/2026

The Esports World Cup 2026 will make the dramatic move to Paris, France, confirming a plethora of rumors that hit the esports scene earlier this month.

A dramatic report from GamesBeat peeled back the veil on behind the scenes talks that had seen stakeholders informed that the event would move to the French capital for the 2026 edition. Now Esports’ largest event will seemingly head to Paris, ditching Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the European venue.

EWC 2026 ditches Riyadh for Paris, as per reports

The report by GamesBeat’s Alexander Lee illuminated a series of discussions that had informed the Esports World Cup’s stakeholders that a change of location would be taking place. Within the article three anonymous individuals who had access to these discussions were cited.

The shift to Paris confirms earlier rumors which emerged at the start of May. Since then, a number of unverified reports have suggested a move. No official statement has been released by the EWC or its organizer, the Esports Foundation, at this time.

GamesBeat reached out to an Esports World Cup representative who declined to comment on the move. Win.gg also reached out to EWC representatives, but was told there was no further information or comment to share at this time.

It’s speculated that the move comes amid uncertainty in and around the Arabian Peninsula as tensions between the US and Iran during an ongoing conflict threaten the Saudi capital. Beyond the direct dangers of conflict, increased costs, safety concerns, and other elements, could have contributed to the decision to move.

EWC 2025 in Riyadh. Image Credit: EWC.

The move is a dramatic shift for the Esports World Cup, which had seemingly taken up permanent residence at the Boulevard City venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where it had been hosted since 2024. Precursor events, such as the Gamers8 tournaments had also been hosted in Riyadh.

The Esports World Cup is organized by Saudi-backed non-profit, the Esports Foundation. The EWC’s tournament operator, the ESL FACEIT Group, is majority owned by Savvy Gaming Group, itself a subsidiary of the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund.

As a result, the event has often been accused of sports-washing, using the event as a way to distract from the KSA’s controversial status and improve the nation’s image.

The Esports World Cup 2026 is set to run from July 6 until Aug. 23. Featuring 25 tournaments in 24 games, the combined event is the largest esports event on the calendar.

Featured Image Credit: EFG

Michael Hassall

About Michael Hassall

Michael is a eight-year veteran of the games writing space, but has being playing them for as long as he can remember. With bylines across the internet, he’s used his expertise to cover esports, prediction markets, mainstream gaming, streamers, and more besides.

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