The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has confirmed a total prize pool of $75 million, as well as the full game line-up and schedule for the Esports World Cup 2026 (EWC). The world's largest esports event will return to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 6 July to 23 August 2026.
Compared to last year, the Esports World Cup 2026 is growing once again, with the prize pool increasing from $70 million to $75 million. Over seven weeks, more than 2,000 players and 200 clubs from over 100 countries will compete in 25 tournaments across 24 games to be crowned the next 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, CEO 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."
The prize pool reflects the evolution of the EWC as a leading event within the global esports landscape. The $75 million will be distributed as follows. In 2026, the EWC Club Championship, the EWC's flagship cross-game competition, will award $30 million to the top 24 clubs, which is an increase of $3 million year-on-year. The winning club will receive $7 million, with increased prize allocations distributed across the remaining top-finishing positions. Last year's Club Championship title was decided in the final week of competition, with seven clubs remaining in contention as the closing stages began. Individual Game Championships will each have their own prize pools, with combined allocations exceeding $39 million. The remainder of the prize pool will be distributed through a combination of Club and Player Awards, including MVP awards for each tournament and the Jafonso Award for players or Clubs that win a Game Championship after advancing from a Last Chance Qualifier, as well as through qualifying events hosted by partnered publishers and Organizers ahead of the EWC 2026 main event in Riyadh.
During a recent Q&A, in which GamesMarkt also participated, Mike McCabe (Deputy CEO & COO @ Esports World Cup Foundation) hinted that the Esports World Cup could expand beyond Saudi Arabia in future.
EWCF: "Alongside the prize pool, EWCF will continue to operate ecosystem support programs, including the EWCF Club Partner Program and the Road to EWC qualification system. The 2026 Club Partner Program will again support a lineup of 40 global esports organizations, while publisher-led circuits, tournaments, and grassroots events provide the foundation for the Road to EWC, giving more players and Clubs defined qualification pathways to compete in Riyadh."
The EWC 2026 line-up features twenty-four competitive games, including the new additions of Fortnite and TrackMania. Apex Legends, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Call of Duty: Warzone, Chess, Counter-Strike 2, Crossfire, Dota 2, EA Sports FC 26, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, Fortnite, Free Fire, Honor of Kings, League of Legends, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Overwatch 2, PUBG: Battlegrounds, PUBG Mobile, Rocket League, Street Fighter 6, Teamfight Tactics, Tekken 8, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege, TrackMania and Valorant.
Trackmania is the latest addition and will replace Rennsport, which was part of the EWC 2025. Trackmania will feature 32 players competing in a championship format for a prize pool of $500,000. "Trackmania has always been one of gaming’s purest level playing fields: same car, same track, no RNG - it is all about precision, memory, and nerve," said Fabian Scheuermann, Chief Games Officer, Esports World Cup Foundation. "Giving it a truly global esports stage with a world-class production and a significant prize pool is a watershed for a community that’s spent more than two decades shaving thousands off community-built tracks. Together with Ubisoft Nadeo, we will connect players, from grassroots to pros, to a world final, and turn the invisible drama of splits and ghost replays into an experience anyone can feel, as anyone at home can load the same map and measure the gap for themselves. This is Trackmania stepping into the pinnacle of esports, validating its culture, attracting pro teams, and inviting a new generation to fall in love with competitive racing at its most honest."
Florent Castelnerac, Ubisoft Nadeo Managing Director: "Being selected for the EWC, the world’s largest esports initiative, marks a major milestone for Trackmania. The game was conceived as the purest expression of solo competition, where players compete against the moment itself rather than direct opponents. Bringing the game in that spirit to the EWC stage honors its strong legacy and opens new roads to success for players from around the world."
The EWC 2026 competitions will take place over seven weeks in multiple arenas, enabling several game championships to run simultaneously. Tickets for EWC 2026 will be available from 22 January 2026 at esportsworldcup.com and from EWC 2026's international ticketing partners.
In its second year, the EWC 2025 tournament reached 750 million viewers worldwide, generating 350 million hours of viewing time. The League of Legends tournament at the EWC '25 event achieved a peak concurrent viewership of 7.98 million. A total of 25 tournaments featuring over 2,000 players representing approximately 200 clubs from over 100 countries were held across 24 games. Over the seven-week event, the EWC and its festival welcomed more than three million visitors to Riyadh.
