The 2026 edition of the Esports World Cup Counter-Strike 2 tournament begins today, August 12, in Paris. Following the event’s relocation to the French capital, 32 teams are ready to compete for their share of the $2,000,000 prize pool. The opening day features a full slate of best-of-one matches, immediately testing the preparation of the attending rosters.
A packed opening day schedule
All participating teams will be in action during the first day of competition. The matches are scheduled in pairs, with two games running simultaneously during each time slot.
The initial matchups are strictly best-of-one, placing immediate pressure on the teams to perform from the very first round to secure a favorable start in the group stage.
11:00 CEST
- Luminosity vs GamerLegion (bo1)
- BIG vs Aurora (bo1)
12:30 CEST
- Spirit vs JiJieHao (bo1)
- FUT vs TYLOO (bo1)
14:00 CEST
- G2 vs M80 (bo1)
- magic vs The MongolZ (bo1)
15:30 CEST
- Falcons vs K27 (bo1)
- Ninjas in Pyjamas vs Legacy (bo1)
17:00 CEST
- BetBoom vs FaZe (bo1)
- PARIVISION vs B8 (bo1)
18:30 CEST
- MIBR vs Astralis (bo1)
- Natus Vincere vs 3DMAX (bo1)
20:00 CEST
- Vitality vs 100 Thieves (bo1)
- Wildcard vs FURIA (bo1)
21:30 CEST
- Lynn Vision vs MOUZ (bo1)
- 9z vs paiN (bo1)
Livestream of EWC
You can follow the matches on these two livestreams.
Format transitions and playoff dates
The group stage continues through Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Starting Thursday, the tournament shifts to a best-of-three format, allowing teams a wider margin for error as they fight to advance.
The playoffs are scheduled to begin next Wednesday. The tournament will conclude with the Grand Final on Sunday, August 23, which will be played as a best-of-five series to crown the champion.
