The Esports World Cup opened in Paris on 8 July 2026 and runs through 23 August 2026. The event carries a record total prize pool of USD 75 million (≈ Rs 716 crore).
Key Facts
- Prize pool: USD 75 million (≈ Rs 716 crore); largest in esports history.
- Club Championship: USD 30 million (≈ Rs 286 crore) allocated to clubs for cross-game performance.
- Scale: Over 2,000 elite players and ~200 esports clubs from more than 100 countries.
- Competitions: 25 tournaments across 24 games.
- Venue & dates: Paris Expo Porte de Versailles; 8 July–23 August 2026.
- Historic shift: First Esports World Cup edition held outside Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- Organiser: Esports World Cup Foundation established September 2023 as successor to Gamers8.
- Global Ambassadors: Cristiano Ronaldo and Magnus Carlsen.
- Predecessor benchmark: Gamers8 (Riyadh, 2023) had a combined prize pool of USD 45 million and introduced Club Awards.
IASPOINT Booster Facts
- Prize-pool conversion: USD 75M ≈ Rs 716 crore; USD 30M ≈ Rs 286 crore (approximate).
- Foundation origin: Esports World Cup Foundation institutionalised the series after Gamers8.
- Club model: Club Championship awards aggregate club performance, aligning multi-title club structures with tournament funding.