Competitive Counter-Strike 2 heads to Boulevard City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the Esports World Cup 2026. The foundation brings together 32 of the top international CS2 rosters to compete in the third year of the event. Teams will compete for the championship title and a share of the $2,000,000 USD prize pool.
Due to the conflict in the Middle East, the entire Esports World Cup has been moved to Paris this year. The event will take place at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles in Paris, France.
Esports World Cup 2026
Organizer: Esports World Cup Foundation
Dates: August 19 to August 23, 2026
Location: Paris Expo Porte de Versailles in Paris, France. (Offline)
Prize Pool: $2,000,000 USD Total Value
Tier: S-Tier
Participating Teams
The event features a 32-team lineup determined primarily by the Valve Regional Standings (VRS). The specific invited and qualified clubs are yet to be finalized. The qualification pathways are distributed as follows:
Global: 21 clubs qualify via VRS Global Ranking
North America: 2 clubs qualify via VRS NA Ranking
South America: 2 clubs qualify via VRS SA Ranking
Asia: 2 clubs qualify via VRS Asia Ranking
Riyadh: 4 clubs qualify via EWC Last Chance Qualifier
Opening day schedule: August 19, 2026
All times are in CEST
Time / Matchup / Group
To Be Determined
Tournament Format
The exact tournament format for the 2026 Counter-Strike 2 event is yet to be announced by the organizers.
Prize Distribution ($2,000,000 USD Total Pool)
The specific prize money distribution for the individual placements is yet to be confirmed. The event also contributes to the wider EWC Club Championship, which awards $30,000,000 USD to the top 24 clubs across all game titles.
Schedule & Results
(Matches and brackets will be updated live as the tournament progresses. Check back closer to the start date for opening matches)
Matchups To Be Determined
