Esports World Cup 2026 in Paris: why France was chosen

Esports Foundation CEO Ralf Reichert gave an interview to the French outlet Challenges, where he explained why France was specifically chosen as the host country for Esports World Cup 2026.

According to Reichert, the organizers had initially planned to make the championship international rather than holding it exclusively in Riyadh. However, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East forced them to speed up the relocation of the tournament.

Among the key factors behind choosing Paris were the city’s infrastructure, experience in hosting international events, and the support of the French authorities.

Reichert noted that such a project would be impossible to realize without government involvement, especially when it comes to visas, permits, and bureaucracy for 2,000 players from all over the world.

Emmanuel Macron warmly welcomed us and provided political support for this esports event. This support from the French authorities played an important role in organizing the tournament within a very limited timeframe..

The organizers also stated that most of the tournaments will take place in the centralized hub at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles featuring multiple arenas and a festival zone for spectators. The main difference from last year’s championship in Riyadh will be the opportunity to attend not only the playoffs, but also the group stage matches.

Every match will be open to the public. Even the group stage, which last year was available only through broadcasts, will now be played in front of spectators. From the very first day of the championship, fans will be able to come and support their favorite teams.

In addition, Esports Foundation expects the economic impact of EWC 2026 in Paris to reach around $600,000,000 — roughly the same amount the tournament generated for Riyadh in 2025. At the same time, government funding for the event will remain minimal.

He also added that the tournament’s budget is estimated at hundreds of millions of dollars, as organizers have to simultaneously host competitions across 25 disciplines. According to him, the scale of the championship can be compared to almost any major international sporting event, with the exception of the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games.

Lastly, Reichert noted that holding the tournament in Paris does not mean a complete departure from Riyadh. Following the international edition of Esports World Cup, the championship will return to Saudi Arabia, while in the future the organizers may consider a rotation system for host cities.

Esports World Cup 2026 will take place from 06.07.2026 to 23.08.2026. More than 2,000 players from around the world will participate in the event, while the total prize pool will amount to $75,000,000.

Earlier, Cyberscore shared the teams’ chances of receiving a direct invitation to the championship.