The Esports World Cup (EWC) has risen remarkably fast. In less than ten years, it has transformed into one of the most ambitious esports tournaments ever created. Beyond being positioned as an event with the largest total prize pool in esports history, EWC also brings together dozens of game titles, thousands of professional players, and top esports organizations from around the world.

However, the story behind EWC isn’t only about spectacle and scale. Its roots trace back to a charity tournament that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, EWC is also described as an important component of Saudi Arabia’s wider plan to grow the global gaming industry under Vision 2030.

From COVID-19 Charity to a Global Ecosystem

The early foundation of EWC can be traced to 2020, when the pandemic disrupted nearly all sports and esports competitions worldwide. At that time, the Saudi Arabian Federation for Electronic and Intellectual Sports (SAFEIS)—which later changed its name to Saudi Esports Federation (SEF)—launched Gamers Without Borders (GWB).

Unlike typical esports tournaments, GWB was designed as a charity esports tournament. The prize money was not intended for players; instead, it was directed to international humanitarian organizations to support pandemic response efforts. This concept gained broad attention by pairing top-level competition with fundraising at meaningful scale.

Gamers8 and the Rise of Club-Based Competition

Two years later, in 2022, Saudi Arabia expanded its ambitions through the launch of Gamers8, a eight-week esports and gaming festival held in Boulevard City, Riyadh. Gamers8 wasn’t limited to tournaments—its program also included concerts, pop culture events, community activities, and family-friendly entertainment.

The momentum carried into 2023. That edition reported a combined prize pool of US$45 million, surpassing the The International 2021 record at the time for the largest esports prize pool. In the same year, Gamers8 introduced Club Awards, a cross-game competition system that recognized esports organizations based on accumulated performance across multiple titles.

This idea later developed into the Club Championship, which has become one of EWC’s defining identities.

EWC Is Officially Announced—and Built Around Vision 2030

A key milestone arrived in October 2023. During the New Global Sport Conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman officially announced the birth of the Esports World Cup as the successor to Gamers8.

Alongside the announcement, the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF)—now known as Esports Foundation—was established as a non-profit organization responsible for managing EWC’s operations. The organization is funded by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, which also backs various large-scale Vision 2030 projects. The appointment of Ralf Reichert—a co-founder of ESL and former Chairman of ESL FACEIT Group—as CEO further signaled the seriousness of building EWC to international esports industry standards.

Prize Pools, Global Ambassadors, and the 2026 Shift to Paris

The first edition of EWC took place in Riyadh in 2024. It quickly set a benchmark, with a total prize pool of about US$60 million, described as the largest prize pool in esports history. Alongside dozens of cross-game competitions, EWC introduced Club Championship, an inter-club competition with a top prize of US$7 million. Team Falcons, an organization from Saudi Arabia, won the first Club Championship.

Despite commercial success, the inaugural event faced criticism from several human rights organizations that alleged EWC was part of sportswashing. The Saudi government denied the accusations, stating that esports development is part of the country’s national economic diversification strategy. In the second edition, Team Falcons again defended the Club Championship title.

One of the biggest changes came through the Club Partner Program, a funding initiative supporting 40 esports organizations worldwide. The total funding reached US$20 million, aimed at helping organizations remain sustainable amid ongoing industry economic uncertainty. In the same period, Cristiano Ronaldo was announced as the Global Ambassador Esports World Cup, expanding the tournament’s marketing reach to traditional sports audiences.

Then, 2026 marked another historic step: for the first time since its establishment, EWC moved outside Saudi Arabia to Paris, France. The relocation was attributed to rising instability in the Middle East security situation, leading organizers to shift all competitions to Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. Even with the new location, the scale reportedly grew further. EWC 2026 allocated US$30 million specifically for Club Championship, while the overall champion prize returned to US$7 million. New titles for this third edition included Trackmania, Fortnite Reload, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, and EA Sports FC 26.

Partners, Publishers, and Ongoing Debate

EWC’s execution is described as a multi-party collaboration. While Esports Foundation serves as the main organizer, competition operations are run together with ESL FACEIT Group. Major publishers including Riot Games, Valve, Activision, Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, Tencent, Krafton, Epic Games, Capcom, and Bandai Namco are listed as official partners bringing popular esports titles into EWC.

Sponsor support such as Lenovo Legion, Sony, Hilton, Allianz, Aramco, and Saudia further reinforces EWC’s reputation as one of the most prestigious esports events worldwide.

Still, controversy remains part of EWC’s public narrative. Organizations including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have consistently criticized the event as part of a sportswashing strategy—using sports to improve a country’s image globally. In response, organizers argue that large investment in gaming is intended to create jobs, accelerate technology innovation, and build a sustainable esports ecosystem.

From a pandemic-era charity tournament to an esports centerpiece with unprecedented prize pools, the Esports World Cup’s rapid ascent is tied to large-scale investment, collaboration with global publishers, and a stated ambition to position esports as a future-facing industry. With that momentum, EWC is expected to remain a major focus for global gaming audiences in the years ahead.