Esports World Cup Unveils $75 Million Prize Pool for 2026 Edition

The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has officially announced the schedule and prize pool for the Esports World Cup 2026 (EWC), featuring 24 games and a combined prize money of $75 million.

Esports World Cup Increases the Prize Pool once again

With its third edition set to take place this summer in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the EWC will have a total of 25 tournaments this year across 24 games. The tournament will kick off on July 6 and last until August 23, with more than 2,000 players and 200 Clubs expected to take part in the competition.

According to a release, the combined allocation for individual game championships will be over $39 million, while $30 million will be awarded to the top 24 clubs in the EWC Club Championship. Compared to the 2025 edition, the Club Championship is getting a $3 million increase, with the winning team still receiving $7 million. The remainder of the prize pool is set to be distributed through a combination of Club and Player Awards, including MVP awards for each tournament and the Jafonso Award, given to clubs or players that win a title after advancing through a Last Chance Qualifier.

“The life-changing prize pool exists to support the people at the heart of esports: the players and the Clubs that invest in them year after year,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation. “EWC is different because of the Club Championship. One title crowns a champion. EWC crowns the ultimate cross-game Club Champion.”

Trackmania was the last title announced of the EWC 2026 game lineup

The announcement comes shortly after the EWC revealed Trackmania as the newest game title, joining the other new addition of Fortnite. StarCraft II and Rennsport have been removed from this year’s lineup. Currently, four tournaments have confirmed the exact schedule of their respective EWC tournaments:

• Apex Legends (ALGS Split 1 Playoffs): July 7 – 11
• Free Fire: July 15 – 18
• League of Legends: July 13 – 19
• Counter-Strike 2: August 12 – 23

Tickets will be available for purchase starting on January 22, 2026, on EWC’s website and dedicated ticketing platforms.