Esports World Cup 2026: First Details Revealed
The organization behind the Esports World Cup, known as the EWCF, has just shared the first exciting details about the 2026 event. This massive gaming competition is set to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, running from July 6th to August 23rd. A staggering prize pool of $75 million USD is up for grabs, making it one of the biggest esports events ever.
We can expect to see more than 2,000 talented players representing 200 different clubs from over 100 countries. They will compete in 25 separate tournaments across 24 different game titles. The ultimate goal for these clubs is to prove they are the best in the world.
Tickets for this incredible esports summer are already on sale. The event is being put together by ESL FACEIT Group (EFG), which is part of Savvy Games Group. It promises to be an unforgettable experience for fans of competitive gaming.
Prize Pool Breakdown
- The total prize money available is a huge $75 million USD.
- A significant portion, $30 million, is set aside for the Club Championship, going to the top 24 clubs. This is an increase of $3 million compared to the 2025 event. The club that wins the overall championship will receive $7 million.
- For the individual game tournaments, there’s over $39 million in prize money combined.
Featured Games
The Esports World Cup 2026 will feature an impressive lineup of 24 games:
- Apex Legends
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
- Call of Duty: Warzone
- Chess
- Counter-Strike 2
- Crossfire
- Dota 2
- EA Sports FC 26
- FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves
- Fortnite
- Free Fire
- Honor of Kings
- League of Legends
- Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
- Overwatch 2
- PUBG: Battlegrounds
- PUBG Mobile
- Rocket League
- Street Fighter 6
- Teamfight Tactics
- TEKKEN 8
- Rainbow Six Siege X
- Trackmania
Qualification and Partnerships
The EWCF is bringing back its Club Partner Program, which supports 40 of the best esports clubs globally. To get to the Esports World Cup, players and teams will go through various paths. These include official game publisher tournaments, major existing esports events, and smaller local competitions that act as qualifiers for the main event in Riyadh.
Tentative Schedule
The competitions are planned to run for seven weeks in Riyadh:
- Week 1 (July 6-12): Competitions will include Valorant, Apex Legends Global Series, Free Fire Global Series, PUBG: Battlegrounds, and Dota 2.
- Week 2 (July 13-19): This week features League of Legends, EA Sports FC 26, Call of Duty Champs (Black Ops 7), Rocket League, and Counter-Strike 2.
- Week 3 (July 20-26): Players will compete in Call of Duty: Warzone, various PUBG Mobile World Cup events, and the Rocket League Reload Elite Series.
- Week 4 (July 27-August 2): This week includes Dota 2, Teamfight Tactics, Mobile Legends MSC, Honor of Kings World Cup, and Chess.
- Week 5 (August 3-9): Fighting game fans will enjoy Crossfire, Street Fighter 6, and TEKKEN 8.
- Week 6 (August 10-16): The games featured are Overwatch 2, Rainbow Six Siege X, and Trackmania.
- Week 7 (August 17-23): This final week will see the grand finals and the conclusion of the Club Championship.
