"This summer's Esports World Cup will be held in Paris, France, rather than its originally scheduled location of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, due to the war in the Middle East, reports. According to the site, EWC organizers are telling stakeholders behind the scenes that the tournament will be moved to Paris this year, though there's been no public confirmation of the change. Rumors of a location swap have been swirling for days."
"The 2026 EWC is scheduled to kick off in July and run through August, with a total prize pool of more than $75 million. It covers major titles including Valorant, League of Legends, Dota 2, Street Fighter 6, Overwatch, Rocket League, Trackmania, Counter-Strike 2, Call of Duty and Fortnite. The 2025 edition in Riyadh attracted more than 3 million fans to the city, plus over 2,500 esports players and support staff."
"The tournament's reported move to Paris comes during a period of renewed chaos in the Middle East, as the United States and Israel perpetuate their war with Iran. With active bombing campaigns and the looming threat of a catastrophic attack, many airlines are cancelling flights to the region, while locals are living with rage, fear and insecurity."
"The inaugural EWC was held in Riyadh in 2024 and organized by a non-profit arm of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which oversees numerous groups investing heavily in sports, video games and entertainment interests worldwide. Multiple governing bodies and human rights watchdogs have accused Saudi Arabia of sportswashing, i.e. attempting to use these investments to improve the nation's reputation as its leaders stand accused of extreme, ongoing human rights abuses."
The Esports World Cup scheduled for July through August 2026 is reported to be moved from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to Paris, France because of war-related conditions in the Middle East. Organizers are said to be informing stakeholders privately, while no public confirmation has been issued. The event is expected to offer a prize pool exceeding $75 million and include major esports titles such as Valorant, League of Legends, Dota 2, Street Fighter 6, Overwatch, Rocket League, Trackmania, Counter-Strike 2, Call of Duty, and Fortnite. The 2025 edition in Riyadh drew more than 3 million fans and over 2,500 esports players and support staff. Saudi Arabia’s involvement has faced sportswashing accusations from governing bodies and human rights watchdogs, and some participants have withdrawn in protest.
Read at Engadget
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