EWC 2026: $75M prize pool, full lineup & schedule details
The Esports World Cup 2026 will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 6 July to 23 August. It will feature 24 games, a $75 million prize pool, and 25 tournaments with over 2,000 players and 200 clubs from more than 100 countries competing across seven weeks. The event brings together players and fans worldwide, highlighting skill, strategy, and consistency on a global stage.
Staggering $75 million prize pool
The Esports World Cup 2026 will feature a $75 million prize pool, distributed across different competitions. Of this, $30 million is allocated to the Club Championship, over $39 million to individual game championships, and the remainder to player and club awards, MVPs, qualifiers, and other honours. The structure is intended to recognise consistent performance as well as individual achievements across the event.
For players, the Esports World Cup 2026 prize pool represents recognition of their effort and commitment, reflecting years of practice, travel, and competition. According to EWCF CEO Ralf Reichert, it is intended to support both players and clubs who consistently invest in the scene. The Club Championship is a central part of the event, distinguishing it from other esports competitions.
Reichert said, “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. EWC is different because of the Club Championship. One title crowns a champion. EWC crowns the ultimate cross-game Club Champion.”
$30 million for clubs
In 2026, the Club Championship prize pool will be $30 million, an increase of $3 million from the previous year. The winning club will receive $7 million, with the remaining top 24 clubs sharing the rest. Unlike single-title tournaments, the Club Championship recognises performance across multiple games, with clubs earning points in titles such as VALORANT, Dota 2, and League of Legends, where consistency across disciplines is key.
The individual game championships at the Esports World Cup 2026 have a combined prize pool of over $39 million. Players can also receive MVP awards for each tournament, along with the Jafonso Award, which recognises those who win after progressing through a Last Chance Qualifier.
Road to EWC 2026
The Road to the Esports World Cup 2026 includes qualification through publisher circuits, grassroots tournaments, and regional qualifiers, allowing players from different regions to compete. The Club Partner Programme supports 40 esports organisations in building rosters and participating across multiple titles, creating pathways from local competition to the global stage in Riyadh.
Complete line-up for EWC 2026
The Esports World Cup 2026 will feature a line-up of 24 competitive titles, including 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 X, Trackmania, and VALORANT. New additions this year are Fortnite and Trackmania.
EWC 2026 schedule overview
The Esports World Cup 2026 will run for seven weeks across multiple arenas in Riyadh. Each week will host overlapping tournaments, and championship matches will take place every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Schedule of each tournament:
Week 1:
- VALORANT, 9–12 July
- ALGS Year 6 Split 1 Playoffs, 7–11 July
- Dota 2 (Week 1), 6–11 July
- Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, 7–10 July
Week 2:
- League of Legends, 15–19 July
- Free Fire, 15–18 July
- Dota 2 (Week 2), 13–18 July
- Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Women’s International (Free Entry), 13–17 July
Week 3:
- FC Pro World Championship, 22–26 July
- PUBG: Battlegrounds, 21–26 July
- Teamfight Tactics (Free Entry), 21–25 July
Week 4:
- OWCS: Mid-season Championship, 29 July–2 August
- Call of Duty: Warzone Resurgence Series, 29 July–1 August
- Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Mid-season Cup (Week 2), 29 July–1 August
- Street Fighter 6, 28–31 July
Week 5:
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, 5–9 August
- PUBG Mobile World Cup (Week 1), TBA
- Honor of Kings World Cup (Week 2), 5–8 August
- Tekken 8, 4–7 August
Week 6:
- Rocket League, TBA
- PUBG Mobile World Cup (Week 2), TBA
- Chess, 11–15 August
- Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege X, 11–14 August
Week 7:
- Counter-Strike 2 (Week 2), 20–23 August
- Reload Elite Series Championship, TBA
- Crossfire (Free Entry), 18–22 August
- Trackmania, 17–21 August
Tickets, passes, and hospitality packages
Tickets for the Esports World Cup 2026 will be available from 22 January. Options include weekly all-access passes, with arenas open daily and pre-check-in available for premium passes. Hospitality packages provide additional amenities, including access to designated viewing areas such as the Esports Embassy.
Legacy and future of Esports World Cup
The Esports World Cup 2025 drew 750 million viewers, 350 million hours watched, and nearly 8 million peak concurrent viewers during League of Legends. Building on this, the 2026 edition aims to expand further while moving towards traditional sports models, with clubs functioning like franchises, players gaining broader recognition, and a shared global calendar shaping the competitive season.
Be part of the action! Join the world’s biggest iGaming community with SiGMA’s Top 10 News countdown. Subscribe HERE for weekly updates, insider insights, and exclusive subscriber-only offers.
