Esports World Cup 2026 announces $75M prize pool

The 2026 Esports World Cup returns to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this summer with a record-breaking $75 million prize pool, organizers announced Tuesday.

For seven weeks from July 6 through Aug. 23, more than 2,000 players and 200 clubs from over 100 countries will compete in 25 tournaments across 24 games to crown 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 -- up from $71.5 million last year -- includes $30 million for the top 24 teams, with $7 million going to the overall club champion.

This is the third edition of the Esports World Cup. Team Falcons won the club championship in both 2024 and 2025.

The 24 competitive titles include new additions Fortnite and Trackmania, along with 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, 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 and VALORANT.

Tickets will go on sale on Thursday.

EWC 2025 reached 750 million viewers worldwide and generated 350 million hours watched.

--Field Level Media