The Esports World Cup 2026 has officially started in Paris, marking the first time the tournament is being held outside Saudi Arabia. According to an Esports Foundation press release, the event will continue until August 23 and features top esports players from around the world.

More than 2,000 players representing 200 esports clubs from over 100 countries are taking part in the tournament. They will compete in 25 events across 24 popular games for a total prize pool of $75 million around Rs. 716 crore . Before reaching the main event, over 1.5 million players competed in 330 qualifying tournaments held worldwide.

Football legend Cristiano Ronaldo and world chess champion Magnus Carlsen have returned as the tournament’s global ambassadors. The organisers said their involvement reflects the growing popularity of esports around the world.

One of the main highlights of the tournament is the Club Championship, where teams earn points across different games to compete for the overall title. The winning club will receive $7 million around Rs.66.8 crore from the $30 million around Rs.286 crore prize pool set aside for the Club Championship. Team Falcons, the winners of the last two editions, will aim to defend their title. Fans across 160 countries will be able to watch the tournament through more than 100 TV and OTT partners. The competition will feature popular games including Counter Strike 2, Dota 2, League of Legends, VALORANT, PUBG MOBILE, Free Fire, EA SPORTS FC 26 and Tekken 8.