Esports World Cup Officially Moved from Riyadh to Paris

The organizers of the Esports World Cup have officially confirmed that the major multidisciplinary esports festival will be moved from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to Paris, France. The decision was made amid the ongoing conflict in Iran and the unstable geopolitical situation in the Middle East.

The Esports World Cup Foundation presented the relocation as the “first international chapter” in the tournament’s history. Back in late April, EWC Foundation CEO Ralf Reichert had expressed hope that the event could still be held in Riyadh. However, the organizers ultimately decided to change the host city.

The total prize pool of the Esports World Cup will amount to $75 million. The Counter-Strike 2 tournament is scheduled to take place during the final two weeks of the festival, from August 12 to 23. The discipline will feature a $2 million prize pool, with 32 teams set to participate - twice as many as at the 2025 tournament. A LAN qualifier for 128 teams is also expected to take place before the main stage.

Later, EWC representatives clarified that the list of disciplines, tournaments, and competitive formats will remain unchanged. Only minor schedule adjustments may be made due to the move to Europe, including adapting broadcasts to new time zones and operational changes at the venues. The organizers received a special exemption from Valve to relocate the tournament.

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As a reminder, the Esports World Cup 2025 CS2 tournament was held from August 20 to 24 in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. The event featured a $1.25 million prize pool. In the final, The MongolZ defeated Aurora with a 3:0 score. Munkhbold “Techno” Sodbayar was named the tournament’s MVP.