Esports World Cup unveils Road to EWC Qualification Program with over 230 tournaments

The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has officially launched the global Road to EWC qualification program for the Esports World Cup 2026.

Road to EWC Qualification Program comprises of qualification tournaments for 24 game titles

The qualifying competitions will create a unified Esports World Cup calendar, delivering match highlights, pro player interviews and feature stories, live stream and VODs ahead of the competition that will take place later this year in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

In particular, this year’s Road to EWC will see open online qualifiers and community competitions across Call of Duty: Warzone, Dota 2, Teamfight Tactics, and Chess, providing accessible routes to qualification for grassroots players. In total, there will be over 230 tournaments across the 24 games confirmed for this year’s EWC.

Earlier this year, the EWC also announced an increase of its total prize pool, bringing the total amount to $75 million. Out of the $75 million, $39 million will be distributed among the 25 tournaments, with $30 million going to the top 24 clubs in the EWC Club Championship. 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.

EWC 2026 Tournament Calendar

The EWC tournaments for this year’s edition are as follows:

• Dota 2: July 6 – 18
• Apex Legends: July 7 – 11
• Fatal Fury: July 7 – 10
• VALORANT: July 9 – 12
• MLBB Women’s Invitational: July 13 – 17
• Free Fire: July 15 – 18
• League of Legends: July 15 – 19
• PUBG Battlegrounds: July 21 – 26
• TFT: July 21 – 25
• FC Pro World Championship: July 22 – 26
• Street Fighter 6: July 28 – 31
• Mid Season Cup: July 29 – August 1
• Overwatch Champions Series: July 29 – August 2
• Call of Duty: Warzone – Resurgence Series: July 29 – August 1
• Tekken 8: August 4 – 7
• KWC Honor of Kings: August 5 – 8
• Call of Duty: Black Ops: August 5 – 9
• PMWC: August 6 – August 16
• R6 Siege X: August 11 – 14
• Chess: August 11 – 15
• Rocket League: August 12 – 16
• Trackmania: August 17 – August 21
• Crossfire: August 18 – 22
• Fortnite: August 19 – 22
• Counter-Strike 2: August 20 – August 23

“Road to EWC brings together the journeys that shape competitive esports,” said Faisal Bin Homran, Chief Product Officer of the Esports World Cup Foundation. “By creating a defined qualification season, it gives the whole industry the confidence to plan; players can focus on performance, Clubs can commit resources earlier, publishers can align their ecosystems, and fans know when and where the biggest moments will happen. If we keep building together, we will grow the sport in a way that is sustainable, inclusive and truly global.”