Esports World Cup 2026 unveils $75m prize pool and full competition lineup

The Esports World Cup Foundation has announced a total prize pool of $75 million for the Esports World Cup 2026, alongside the full game lineup and competition schedule for the event, which will return to Riyadh from 6 July to 23 August.

Billed as the world’s largest esports event, Esports World Cup 2026 will bring together more than 2,000 players representing around 200 clubs from over 100 countries. Competition will take place across 25 tournaments spanning 24 game titles over seven weeks, with matches staged in parallel across multiple arenas in the Saudi capital.

The scale of the prize pool underscores the Esports World Cup’s growing role as a flagship event on the global esports calendar. Now entering its third year, the tournament is built around a cross-game format that rewards consistent performance across multiple titles and culminates in the crowning of an overall Esports World Cup Club Champion.

“The life-changing prize pool exists to support the people at the heart of esports: the players and the Clubs that invest in them year after year,” said Ralf Reichert, Chief Executive Officer of the Esports World Cup Foundation. “EWC is different because of the Club Championship. One title crowns a champion. EWC crowns the ultimate cross-game Club Champion.”

Club Championship prize pool expanded

The EWC Club Championship will account for $30 million of the total prize pool, distributed among the top 24 clubs. This represents a $3 million increase year on year, with the overall winning club set to receive $7 million. Enhanced prize allocations will also be awarded across the remaining top finishing positions. Last year’s Club Championship title was decided in the final week of competition, with several clubs still in contention entering the closing stages.

Individual Game Championships will carry combined prize pools exceeding $39 million. The remaining funds will be allocated through a range of Club and Player Awards, including most valuable player honours for each tournament and the Jafonso Award, which recognises players or clubs that win a Game Championship after progressing from a Last Chance Qualifier. Additional prize money will also be distributed through qualifying events hosted by partner publishers and organisers ahead of the main event.

The 2026 game lineup features 24 competitive titles, including new additions Fortnite and Trackmania. Other games set to be contested include League of Legends, Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, VALORANT, PUBG Mobile, Rocket League, Street Fighter 6 and TEKKEN 8, among others.

Tickets for Esports World Cup 2026 will go on sale from 22 January through esportsworldcup.com and international ticketing partners, with early access options including weekly passes, premium tournament passes and hospitality packages.

The announcement builds on the success of Esports World Cup 2025, which attracted 750 million viewers worldwide and welcomed more than 3 million visitors to Riyadh over the course of the seven-week event.