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Home›eGames and Esports›Esports World Cup

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The Esports World Cup in Riyadh

The Esports World Cup is the richest competition in esports history, a seven-week summer festival that turned Riyadh into a destination for gamers from more than 100 countries. After a 2026 edition in Paris, it returns to the Saudi capital in 2027.

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At a glance

Esports World Cup at a glance

First held
2024, Riyadh
Next edition
Riyadh, summer 2027
Record prize pool
US$75 million (2026)
Games
24 games, 25 tournaments (2026)
Visitors
More than 3 million in Riyadh (2025)
Organizer
Esports Foundation

The world's biggest esports festival

Imagine the Olympics, but for video games: more than 2,000 players from around 200 clubs, competing over seven weeks in two dozen titles, from League of Legends and Counter-Strike 2 to chess and EA SPORTS FC. That is the Esports World Cup, created by the Esports World Cup Foundation (renamed the Esports Foundation in March 2026) and first staged in Riyadh in summer 2024.

What makes it different is the Club Championship. Rather than crowning a winner in each game alone, the event awards points across every tournament, so the overall champion is the club that excels in many games at once. Saudi Arabia's Team Falcons won the first two titles, in 2024 and 2025, each with a US$7 million prize. In 2026, AG.AL took the crown.

The numbers have climbed every year. The 2024 edition offered more than US$60 million in prize money and drew over 2 million visitors. In 2025 the purse passed US$70 million, visitors topped 3 million, and the online audience reached about 750 million, with a peak of nearly 8 million concurrent viewers for League of Legends. The 2026 edition, staged in Paris from July 6 to August 23, set a new record of US$75 million, including US$30 million for the Club Championship.

Boulevard Riyadh City lit in blue at night, with a cable car gliding above its lagoon and pavilions.
Photo: Humanized · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

The Esports World Cup by year

EditionHost cityPrize pool (approx.)Club champion
2024RiyadhMore than US$60 millionTeam Falcons
2025RiyadhMore than US$70 millionTeam Falcons
2026ParisUS$75 millionAG.AL
2027RiyadhTo be confirmedJuly to August 2027

What to know about the event

The essentials, from the venues to the games most worth watching.

Venue

Boulevard City

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

The festival's Riyadh home, an entertainment district of arenas, restaurants and fan zones that hosted the 2024 and 2025 editions. It comes alive on summer evenings, when the heat lifts and the crowds arrive.

Venue

SEF Arena

Boulevard World, Riyadh

A 25,000-square-meter esports complex opened by the Saudi Esports Federation in 2025, with competition halls, an academy and a broadcast studio. It hosts Saudi leagues the rest of the year.

Official site ↗
Format

Club Championship

All tournaments

The overall title, decided by points earned across every game. In 2026 the top 24 clubs shared US$30 million, with US$7 million to the winner.

Game

League of Legends

Main stage

The festival's biggest draw online, with a record peak of almost 8 million concurrent viewers in 2025.

AnnouncedGame

Counter-Strike 2

Main stage

The first title confirmed for 2027, with 32 teams and a US$2 million purse. The main event runs July 20 to August 1, 2027, after an open qualifier on July 16 to 18.

Game

EA SPORTS FC

Football

The world's best-selling football game, made by Electronic Arts. Fans of the real thing will find more in our guide to football in the region.

Game

Mobile games

Mobile Legends, PUBG Mobile, Free Fire, Honor of Kings

Mobile titles bring some of the loudest crowds, reflecting how much of the world, and of Saudi Arabia, plays on phones.

Game

Chess

Classic meets digital

Online chess joined the lineup in 2025, putting grandmasters on the same bill as shooters and fighting games.

Game

Fighting games

Street Fighter 6, TEKKEN 8, Fatal Fury

Fast, theatrical and easy for newcomers to follow, the fighting-game finals are among the best nights to attend in person.

Club

Team Falcons

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

The Saudi club that won the first two Club Championships, and the home favorite in any Riyadh edition.

Official site ↗
Opening 2027Sister event

Esports Nations Cup

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

A new national-team competition from the same organizer, in which players represent their countries rather than clubs. Its first edition is scheduled for Riyadh in November 2027.

Official site ↗
Under constructionFuture venue

Qiddiya Gaming and Esports District

Qiddiya, near Riyadh

A planned district with roughly 73,000 seats across several venues, designed to host events including the Esports World Cup in future. See Qiddiya.

How to attend

Tickets and the full game schedule are published on the official Esports World Cup site. Each week focuses on a few games, so choose your week by title. Festival areas at Boulevard City are a family-friendly evening out even without a match ticket.

From the US, fly nonstop to Riyadh on Saudia or, from March 2027 as planned, Delta from Atlanta; Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways connect via the Gulf. See nonstop flights from the US. Americans can apply online for the Saudi tourist eVisa. Stay at one of Riyadh's luxury hotels, and keep a day for Diriyah, the UNESCO-listed birthplace of the Saudi state. July and August are very hot, so the action, and the city's social life, happens indoors and after dark.

Questions travelers ask

When is the Esports World Cup 2027?

It returns to Riyadh in summer 2027. Counter-Strike 2 runs July 20 to August 1, 2027; other game dates are announced on the official site.

How big is the prize pool?

The 2026 edition offered US$75 million, the largest in esports history. The 2027 purse has not yet been announced.

Do I need a ticket to visit?

Match tickets are sold for individual events, and festival areas around the venues are open to visitors. Check the official site for each edition's ticketing.

Is it suitable for families?

Yes. The festival includes fan zones, food and activities for all ages. See our guide to family travel in the Middle East.

Travel TodayBefore you travel, check the US State Department's current advice for Saudi Arabia. See the advice ↗

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Checked October 2026. Prices and dates are approximate and can change. See our standard.