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[SITUATION] · [ACTIVE]

2 clusters · 17 sources · 22 days · First seen 27 days ago · Last updated 6 days ago

Categories: SPORTS

Paris Esports World Cup 2026 – Qualifiers & Festival

Entities: EA Sports FC 26 · Trackmania · Esports World Cup 2026 · Street Fighter 6 · Rocket League

Overview

In early July 2026, organizers announced that the Esports World Cup (EWC) will be held in Paris from 6 July to 23 August, featuring a partnership with Sony Group that brings PlayStation consoles, Sony Pictures Television and Crunchyroll branding, and immersive experiences such as a manga‑themed interactive library and a Prime Video documentary series. The tournament will host more than 2 000 players from over 100 countries across 25 events, with a record prize pool exceeding $75 million. The League of Legends segment released its group draw, detailing the four groups and the $2 million prize. A free, open‑air Esports Festival is scheduled for 2 August on the Champs‑Élysées, organized with the Comité Champs‑Élysées and the Esports Foundation. The event will move competition action from Paris Expo Porte de Versailles to the iconic avenue, featuring professional players in Trackmania, Rocket League and EA SPORTS FC 26 alongside music, entertainment and pop‑culture personalities to showcase esports as a fast‑growing sport. On 26 July, a high‑profile exhibition showmatch in EA SPORTS FC will pit Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema against French streamer AmineMaTue, with additional teammates and commentary aimed at broadening the audience. From 24‑26 July, a Street Fighter 6 Last‑Chance Qualifier in Paris offered the final six entries into the main EWC bracket. Around 270 players competed for a share of the $1 million prize pool, with the top finishers—including Xian, DualKevin, Moke and Hibiki—earning tickets to the tournament. The qualifier was streamed on the official EWC YouTube and Twitch channels and highlighted meta shifts after Evo Las Vegas 2026. The 2 August festival will run from 15:30 to 20:00 CET and remains free to the public.

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[○ 1 SOURCE] The Esports World Cup 2026 will host a free public gaming festival on 2 August on Paris' Champs‑Élysées. (Organisers of the Esports World Cup 2026)
[○ 1 SOURCE] The festival runs from 15:30 to 20:00 France time. (Event schedule)
[○ 1 SOURCE] The festival features Rocket League, Trackmania and EA Sports FC 26 competitions. (Festival description)
[○ 1 SOURCE] France's esports community includes more than 11.8 million participants and over 2 million regular viewers. (Organisers)
[○ 1 SOURCE] Three pioneers of French esports and founders of leading clubs will compete alongside music and entertainment personalities at the festival. (Festival programme)
[○ 1 SOURCE] The festival is co‑created with the Comité Champs‑Élysées. (Organisers)
[○ 1 SOURCE] The Esports World Cup 2026 includes Street Fighter 6 Last Chance Qualifier and Group Stage 1 matches from 29 July to 1 August. (Tournament schedule)
[○ 1 SOURCE] The festival includes an interactive gaming village with hands‑on activities, educational talks and panel discussions with professional athletes and teams. (Festival description)

Timeline

6 days ago

[SPORTS] 11 sources
Esports World Cup 2026 launches free gaming festival on Paris Champs‑Élysées
The Esports World Cup 2026 will host a free public festival on 2 August on Paris' Champs‑Élysées, featuring Rocket League, Trackmania, EA Sports FC 26, esports pioneers and interactive activities, alongside the
27 days ago

[SPORTS] 7 sources
Esports World Cup 2026 announces Sony partnership and reveals League of Legends groups in Paris
Paris will host the Esports World Cup 2026, featuring a Sony partnership, $75 million prize pool, and a League of Legends group draw with 12 top teams.

Sources

actualitesjeuxvideo.fr · almouwatin.com · e.sport.fr · ehealthnews.eu · eventhubs.com · footiledefrance.fr · fragster.de · gamereactor.eu · gamerfocus.co · indianbroadcastingworld.com · jwave.com.br · lemagjeuxhightech.com · ligablatt.de · news.bitcoin.com · pocketgamer.biz · suisse-blog.ch · videogamemais.com.br

This summary has been updated 1 time: see revision history