Saudi-Backed Esports World Cup Reaches Its Biggest Edition Yet — In Paris

A Global Gaming Spectacle With Saudi Roots

The Esports World Cup, the largest and richest tournament in competitive gaming history, is currently reaching its climax in Paris, marking the first time the event has been staged outside Saudi Arabia since it launched in Riyadh back in 2024. Running across seven weeks through late August, this year's edition features a record prize pool of $75 million, drawing more than 2,000 players from over 100 countries across two dozen different game titles.

The tournament's move to France reflects what organisers have described as a planned step toward international rotation, though the timing — arriving amid heightened regional tensions tied to the broader Iran conflict — has fuelled speculation about whether security and logistical considerations also played a role in the decision.

Riyadh Remains the Beating Heart of the Operation

Despite the change of scenery, the tournament's ownership and strategic direction remain unmistakably Saudi. The Esports Foundation, the nonprofit body that organises the event, continues to be funded by the kingdom's Public Investment Fund, which committed an initial $38 billion to building out Saudi Arabia's gaming and esports ecosystem starting in 2022. Organisers have been careful to stress that the event's format, prize structure, and partner clubs remain fundamentally unchanged, with only the host city shifting from Riyadh's Boulevard City and Qiddiya venues to locations across the French capital.

Industry observers note that the underlying business model driving Saudi Arabia's esports ambitions — investment in publishers, ownership stakes in competitive gaming clubs, and long-term infrastructure development — has continued uninterrupted regardless of where the marquee tournament itself is physically staged.

From 75 Million in Three Years

The scale of the tournament's growth has been striking. When the inaugural Esports World Cup launched in Riyadh in 2024, its prize pool of 71.5 million the following year, and now stands at $75 million for the 2026 edition, reflecting continued growth in both sponsorship interest and competitive participation even as the event's location has shifted.

This year's tournament features 25 separate competitions spanning 24 different esports titles, maintaining the breadth that has become a hallmark of the event since its founding.

Why Gaming Matters to Saudi Arabia's Economic Strategy

The Esports World Cup forms part of a broader push by Saudi Arabia to diversify its economy away from oil dependence under the kingdom's Vision 2030 strategy. Gaming and esports have been identified as priority growth sectors, with the government's National Gaming and Esports Strategy setting an ambitious goal of positioning Saudi Arabia as a global centre for the video game industry by the end of the decade.

Regional analysts point out that Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, already rank among the highest per-capita spenders on mobile gaming worldwide, suggesting a receptive domestic market that extends well beyond the marquee international tournament itself. That underlying consumer demand, combined with sustained sovereign investment, has helped position the kingdom as a significant player in global gaming even as its flagship event plays out on foreign soil this year.

A Packed Sporting Calendar Beyond Gaming

The Esports World Cup is just one part of an unusually dense sporting calendar for Saudi Arabia this year, which also includes the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Formula E races, the AFC U-17 Asian Cup, WTA Finals, and the Gulf Cup, among other major events. Officials have described the volume and variety of these events as a deliberate strategy to build credibility as a global sports host well ahead of larger commitments still to come, including the country's role in the 2034 Asian Games.

Looking Ahead

With the tournament set to run through the rest of August, attention will next turn to whether the Esports World Cup returns to Riyadh for future editions or continues its international rotation to other global cities. For now, organisers maintain that Riyadh remains the spiritual and financial home of the event, even as this year's champions are crowned thousands of kilometres away on Parisian stages.