EWC officially heads to Paris for 2026 as early reports confirmed

Michael Hassall Published 20/05/2026

The Esports World Cup 2026 will take place in Paris, France from July later this year as per an new announcement by the EWC organizers, the Esports Foundation.

Revealed in a post on their official social media, and an accompanying release and blog post, the announcement confirmed earlier speculation that the event would move location due to the “regional situation” around Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Here’s the info:

EWC officially leaves Riyadh for 2026, will be hosted in Paris, France

The Esports World Cup had been hosted in its location in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, since 2024, with precursor tournaments Gamers8 also being hosted in the city. Many observers had suspected the event would never leave Riyadh, even amid conflict and turmoil in the Arabian peninsula.

Now it seems the issue has been pushed to its limit, with the blog post confirming that the move to Paris was due to the “current regional situation” affecting Riyadh.

Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports Foundation, explained the reasoning behind the move:

“Riyadh helped turn the Esports World Cup into a global phenomenon. Riyadh is the home of EWC and one of the world’s leading hubs for esports, powered by an incredible community of fans and long-term ambition for the future of the sport. This year, we’re excited to bring EWC to Paris for its first edition outside Saudi Arabia.  Paris has hosted some of the world’s biggest sporting events and is one of the great global capitals of sport, culture and entertainment. Together with the passion of French fans and the strong support we’ve received locally, we’re excited to bring the global esports community there for the next chapter of EWC. Paris now becomes the first international chapter in EWC history ”

President Emmanuel Macron (right) and Ralf Reichert, CEO Esports Foundation (left) at Palais Elysée in Paris, France – May 19 2026. Image Credit: Esports Foundation

The announcement was echoed by French President Emanual Macron, who posted his own announcement alongside the EWC:

“This is a first that honors us. Thank you to Saudi Arabia for its trust. We are ready to organize this 2026 e-sports World Cup. Very proud to welcome the world again.”

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. It’s speculated that a move to Paris will further these aims.

The EWC 2026 will run from July 6 until August 23. Featuring 24 titles, including Apex Legends, Dota 2, VALORANT, League of Legends, Counter-Strike, Call of Duty, and more, in 25 competitions, over 2,000 competitors, the event is one of the largest combined esports competitions ever. The Esports Foundation has promised details on ticket sales and venue information soon.

Featured Image Credit: Esports Foundation.

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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