Paris to host 2026 Esports World Cup instead of Riyadh
Kyiv • UNN
Due to the war with Iran, the Esports World Cup has been moved from Riyadh to Paris. The tournament, featuring a $75 million prize pool, will host over 2,000 players from around the world.
France will host the Esports World Cup this summer in Paris, moving it from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, after the broader region experienced destabilization due to the war with Iran. This was reported by Bloomberg, according to UNN.
Details
The decision was the result of an assessment by the event organizer — the Esports Foundation — and was made "in light of the current regional situation." The Foundation stated that this provides "clarity and stability for players, clubs, publishers, partners, and fans worldwide, while maintaining the tournament's scale, structure, and competitive integrity."
The world's largest esports and gaming tournament will take place from July 6 to August 23 and will bring together over 2,000 players from more than 100 countries. They will compete for a record prize pool exceeding 75 million US dollars, the foundation reports.
The Esports World Cup was established by the Saudi Arabian government in 2023 as a way to promote the region as a destination for gamers. Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) allocated 38 billion dollars for this purpose. Moving the tournament to Paris calls the government's strategy into question. In March, Brian Ward, CEO of the PIF unit Savvy Games Group, stated that the war could affect Riyadh's plans to develop gaming infrastructure in the region, at least in the short term.
Obviously, such an escalation is not helpful for the region, and it will likely change or cool the perception of it as a stable and peaceful place where people want to go
At the same time, he added that in the future, the region could still become an important hub for the video game industry.
The choice of Paris underscores France's appeal as a venue for major international competitions and reflects the deepening ties between Saudi Arabia and France, according to a statement from the French government. Paris also hosted the 2024 Olympic Games and the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
French President Emmanuel Macron commented on the decision to hold the esports tournament in the country on the social network X.
He noted that this is the first such instance for France and called it an honor for the state. He also thanked Saudi Arabia for its trust and confirmed the country's readiness to host the Esports World Cup in 2026.
This is a first, and it is an honor for us. Thank you to Saudi Arabia for the trust. We are ready to host the 2026 Esports World Cup. We are very proud to welcome the world once again