Esports World Cup 2026 Moves to Paris with $75 Million Prize Pool

The Esports World Cup 2026, originally slated for Riyadh, has been relocated to Paris Expo Porte de Versailles for July. The seven‑week event will host 25 parallel tournaments, involve more than 2,000 players from over 100 countries, and feature a $75 million prize pool.

The prize money is split into $39 million for individual game championships, $30 million for the Club Championship and a $7 million top‑club award. Forty partner clubs must lock rosters by the end of April, and clubs must win at least one individual tournament to qualify for the Club title.

The unprecedented payout is prompting a shift in the esports market. Organizers in the Middle East are offering sums that dwarf the traditional $1.25 million caps of longstanding events such as Valve‑run CS2 majors. Top teams are being forced to prioritize the financially lucrative World Cup over classic tournaments like IEM Cologne, pressuring established organizers to rethink prize structures.