Paris lands Esports World Cup: World’s biggest gaming event moved from Saudi Arabia amid war concerns

The world’s biggest esports tournament will be staged in Paris this summer after organisers shifted the event from Riyadh due to concerns surrounding the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The 2026 edition of the Esports World Cup will run from July 6 to August 23 and feature a staggering prize pool of more than $75 million, making it the richest esports competition ever held.

More than 2,000 players representing 200 clubs from around the globe are expected to compete across 24 major gaming titles, including League of Legends, Dota 2, Counter-Strike 2 and Valorant.




Why the tournament was moved
The competition, backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund and launched in 2024, had previously been hosted in Saudi Arabia for its first two editions. Riyadh was initially expected to stage the tournament again in 2026.

However, organisers admitted that regional instability forced a rethink.

Ralf Reichert, head of the Saudi-based Esports Foundation, said the geopolitical situation created major uncertainty around travel and logistics for participating teams and players.

According to Reichert, concerns over whether competitors could safely and smoothly travel to the region within the required timeframe played a major role in the decision to relocate the event.

Macron celebrates ‘historic first’
French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the announcement enthusiastically, calling it “a historic first and an honour” for France.

Macron also thanked Saudi Arabia for its trust while expressing confidence that Paris would successfully host the global esports spectacle.

Officials believe the tournament could provide a major tourism boost to the Paris region, with thousands of players, staff members and fans expected to arrive during the seven-week event.

Despite the temporary move, organisers indicated the long-term plan remains to rotate the competition between global cities, with the tournament expected to return to Riyadh in 2027.

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