The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF), the tournament organizer behind the Esports World Cup, has opened the applications for the 2026 EWCF Club Partner Program, further reinforcing its financial investment to accelerate growth of esports organizations.
Just like last year, the initiative will give a total of $20 million to the accepted clubs, with the goal of improving fan engagement across key growth regions, including India, China, Southeast Asia, and LATAM. In 2025, the EWCF Club Partner Program reviewed nearly 200 applications, with 19 clubs joining for the first time.
The top eight teams from the 2025 Esports World Cup Club Championship will be directly invited into the program while the other will be accepted through an open application. The invited teams for the 2026 program are:
The applications will be accepted the deadline on December 18. According to a release, the remaining 32 clubs will be chosen based on an assessment that considers competitive excellence across multiple game titles, long-term vision, and ability to engage with the community.
The selected clubs will be announced in January 2026, following the completion of the evaluation process. EWC will return this year at the start of July with tournaments across 24 game titles. The total prize pool, however, has yet to be unveiled.
Hans Jagnow, Director, Club and Player Relations, at the Esports World Cup Foundation, commented: “Through the EWCF Club Partner Program, we continue to invest in organizations driving esports forward and growing their fanbase together with us. Our focus for 2026 is to deepen our global reach, supporting Clubs as they grow their communities and bringing new audiences into the world of esports. This program is not only about sustainability, but also about building the next generation of esports fandom.”
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