The Esports World Cup 2026 has started. This is the biggest esports event in the world right now, and for the first time ever, this event is happening in Europe. This event runs from July 6 to August 23, 2026. That’s seven weeks of gaming. So guys, what are you waiting for? It’s esports time.
A new home in Paris
The event happened in Riyadh last year and will happen at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles this year.
Over 200 teams from 100+ countries will be sending over 2000 players. There will be 25 different tournaments for different games with 24 different competitions. The esports prize pool is one of the largest ever at $75 million.
The organizers have decided to move this event to Paris to accommodate great gaming culture and because of the excellent space as well as great access to the area and some safety concerns for the Middle East. The event will however, return to Riyadh in 2027.
A big opening show
The opening ceremony happened on July 8 at a place called La Seine Musicale. Famous singers like Aya Nakamura, DJ Snake, and Theodora performed to kick things off before the games began.
What Games Are Being Played?
There is so much game action happening over the 7 weeks! Here’s a quick overview:
- Week 1 (July 6-12): Dota 2, Valorant, Apex Legends, Fatal Fury
- Week 2 (13-19 July): Free Fire, League of Legends, Dota 2, Mobile Legends
- Week 3 (July 20-26): PUBG, EA Sports FC, Mobile Legends, Teamfight Tactics
- Week 4 (July 27-Aug 2): Call of Duty: Warzone, Overwatch, Mobile Legends, Street Fighter 6
- Week 5 (Aug 3-9): PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty Black Ops 7, Honor of Kings, Tekken 8
- Week 6 (Aug 10-16): Rocket League, Chess, PUBG Mobile, Rainbow Six Siege
- Week 7 (Aug 17-23): Fortnite, Counter-Strike 2, Trackmania, CrossFire
Some new cool stuff this year: For the first time Trackmania joins and Fortnite is back too. This year StarCraft II was dropped from the event.
So many players are trying to qualify
To qualify, teams needed to play in the “Road to EWC.” Currently, 598 of 690 positions have filled (87%)!
Teams with the most qualifying players include Team Falcons, Team Vitality, and AG.AL.
The 30 Million Club Championship is a huge reward for players competing in a range of (26) different games. The best of the top 24 clubs can each win $30 Million!
Defending Champions are back
Team Spirit, Team Falcons, Gen.G Esports, and OpTic Gaming are just a few of the traditional heavyweights returning to the arena.
Here’s something curious. KuaiShou Gaming won Street Fighter 6 last year and came back to compete again this year. This diminished their automatic entry privilege. Natural and inalienable team rights would vest only if the team member won last year and came back to compete again.
How to Watch Esports World Cup 2026 in India
Good news for fans in India: you can watch everything for free on YouTube and Twitch! There will be streams for every game.
An Indian esports group called S8UL has teamed up with YouTube to make watching more fun, with watch parties featuring popular creators like MortaL, Snax, and Thug.
India’s teams are showing up big
India is sending the largest contingent of players ever to this event! Some of the Indian teams in the fray:
- S8UL Esports: Plays Free Fire, Apex Legends, Fortnite, Chess & Honor of Kings
- Global Esports: Playing Valorant for India
- GodLike Esports: BGMI/PUBG Mobile & Street Fighter 6 Gamer
- Orangutan: Also playing in PUBG Mobile
- Revenant XSpark: Playing in Kings of Honor
- True Rippers India’s sole team in Mobile Legends
- Team Apex Gaming: Founded by a popular player named Jonathan Gaming, this is their first time playing in Free Fire
Also Read: Esports World Cup 2026 Opens In Paris, Marking A New Global Chapter For Competitive Gaming
