Esports World Cup Moves to Paris for 2026 Amid Middle East Tensions
The relocation breaks the EWC's Saudi-only pattern and signals that geopolitical instability can override the country's esports investment strategy, at least temporarily.
Reporting from 1 sources: KAI-YOU.
The Esports World Cup will be held in Paris in 2026, its first edition outside Saudi Arabia. The organizing body cited the current regional situation, likely the worsening Middle East conflict, as the reason. Riyadh remains the event's home base, with a return planned for 2027.
The Esports World Cup, a multi-title championship that has been held in Riyadh since its inception, will take place in Paris from July 6 to August 23, 2026. The Esports Foundation said the decision followed an evaluation of the current regional situation, a reference to the escalating Middle East conflict including US-Israeli attacks on Iran. French President Emmanuel Macron called the move a historic first. The tournament will feature 24 games and 25 tournaments, with over 2,000 players from more than 100 countries and a prize pool exceeding $75 million. Riyadh is set to host the event again in 2027.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.