Esports World Cup 2026 schedule: $75M prize pool, 25 tournaments in Paris
EWC 2026 runs July 6 - Aug 23 in Paris. $75M prize pool (largest in esports history), 25 tournaments, 2,000+ players. Relocated from Riyadh in May 2026. Full schedule and how to watch free.
The Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 runs July 6 - August 23, 2026 in Paris, France. The tournament features a record-breaking $75 million prize pool across 25 tournaments in 24 different games — the largest single esports event in history.
The event was originally announced on January 20, 2026 as a return to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where the 2024 and 2025 editions were held. On May 20, 2026, the Esports Foundation officially relocated the tournament to Paris in response to regional security concerns. The primary venue is the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, with the CS2 Grand Final promoted to the Accor Arena on the closing day.
The headline numbers
- $75M total prize pool (largest in esports
history)
- $30M Club Championship ($7M to the winning
organization)
- $45M across individual game championships
- 2,000+ players representing 200+ clubs
from 100+ countries
- 25 tournaments across 24 games
- 7 weeks of competition (July 6 -
August 23)
The full schedule by week
Week 1 (Jul 6-12)
- Jul 6-11: Dota 2 (Week 1)
- Jul 7-10: Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves
- Jul 7-11: Apex Legends (ALGS Year 6 Split 1)
- Jul 7-12: Valorant
- Jul 9-12: Valorant playoffs
Week 2 (Jul 13-19)
- Jul 13-17: MLBB Women's International
(free entry)
- Jul 13-18: Dota 2 (Week 2)
- Jul 15-18: Free Fire
- Jul 15-19: League of Legends
Week 3 (Jul 20-26)
- Jul 21-25: Teamfight Tactics (free entry)
- Jul 21-26: PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS
- Jul 22-26: FC Pro World Championship
Week 4 (Jul 27 - Aug 2)
- Jul 28-31: Street Fighter 6
- Jul 29-Aug 1: Call of Duty: Warzone
Resurgence Series
- Jul 29-Aug 1: MLBB Mid Season Cup
(Week 2)
- Jul 29-Aug 2: Overwatch 2 (OWCS
Midseason Championship)
Week 5 (Aug 3-9)
- Aug 4-7: Tekken 8
- Aug 5-8: Honor of Kings World Cup
(Week 2)
- Aug 5-9: Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
- Aug 6-9: PUBG Mobile World Cup (Week 1)
Week 6 (Aug 10-16)
- Aug 11-12 + Aug 14-16: PUBG Mobile
World Cup (Week 2)
- Aug 11-14: Rainbow Six Siege X
- Aug 11-15: Chess
- Aug 12-16: Rocket League
Week 7 (Aug 17-23)
- Aug 17-21: Trackmania
- Aug 18-22: CrossFire (free entry)
- Aug 19-22: Reload Elite Series
(Fortnite Reload)
- Aug 19-22: Counter-Strike 2 (Week 2 —
playoffs at Paris Expo, Hall 1)
- Aug 20-23: Counter-Strike 2 Championship
(single-elimination bracket)
- August 23: **CS2 Grand Final at the
Accor Arena, Paris** (Club Championship ceremony also held here)
The CS2 Grand Final venue
The CS2 Championship Final is upgraded to the Accor Arena in Paris for the closing day (August 23, 2026). The 15,000-20,300-seat arena is the same venue that hosted the BLAST.tv Major Paris in 2023 and the final CS:GO Major.
The CS2 bracket is a 32-team field starting on August 12. After the group stage, the top 16 teams progress to a single-elimination playoff bracket played August 20-22 at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles (Hall 1), culminating in the Grand Final on Sunday, August 23 at 6pm CEST.
The CS2 Grand Final also hosts the Club Championship ceremony — the $7M prize for the multi-game cross-game standings will be awarded at the Accor Arena on the same day.
How to watch (free)
Every match is free to stream on:
- DAZN (requires free DAZN account, not
available in some regions)
- Esports World Cup YouTube (global, no
account needed)
- Esports World Cup Twitch (global)
- Publisher channels (Riot for LoL/Valorant,
Valve for CS2/Dota 2, Epic for Fortnite, etc.)
The CS2 and Valorant matches also have official co-streams with 50+ top creators and pros.
Why it matters
The EWC 2026 is the first time a single tournament has combined CS2, LoL, Valorant, Dota 2, Fortnite, Apex, and 18 other games under one prize pool and one championship structure. The "Club Championship" model — where clubs earn points across multiple games — has been won by Team Falcons in both 2024 and 2025.
What's next
The CS2 Grand Final airs August 23, 6pm CEST / 9am PT / 12pm ET at the Accor Arena. Watch on DAZN, EWC YouTube/Twitch, or the official BLAST Twitch channel (BLAST is producing the CS2 broadcast). The Club Championship trophy is awarded on the same day.
FAQ
When is the Esports World Cup 2026?
July 6 - August 23, 2026 in Paris, France.
Where is the EWC 2026 held?
Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, with the CS2 Grand Final on August 23 at the Accor Arena.
Why was the EWC moved to Paris from Riyadh?
The Esports Foundation officially relocated the event to Paris on May 20, 2026 due to regional security concerns. The format, dates, and $75M prize pool were unchanged from the original Riyadh announcement.
How much is the prize pool?
$75M total, $30M for the Club Championship, $45M for individual game championships. Largest in esports history.
Can I watch for free?
Yes, all matches are free on DAZN (free account), EWC YouTube, EWC Twitch, and publisher channels.
Which game has the biggest prize?
CS2 with $2M (largest single-game CS prize ever), followed by Dota 2 ($2M), Valorant ($2M), Honor of Kings World Cup ($3M), and MLBB Mid Season Cup ($3M).
Where is the CS2 Grand Final?
The Accor Arena in Paris on August 23 at 6pm CEST. The 32-team bracket culminates in a single-elimination playoff Aug 20-23.
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