The Esports World Cup (EWC) is set to return to Riyadh this summer with its largest prize pool to date, exceeding the $70 million figure from EWC 2025.
The Esports World Cup Foundation has announced a total prize pool of $75 million for EWC 2026, alongside the full competition schedule for the seven-week event, which will take place in Riyadh from July 6 through August 23.
More than 2,000 players and over 200 Clubs will compete across 25 tournaments in 24 games, all vying for points toward the Esports World Cup Club Championship and a share of the record-breaking prize pool.
$30m Club Championship
The EWC Club Championship, the event’s cross-game standings, will award $30 million to the top 24 Clubs in 2026 — a $3 million increase compared to last year.
The overall winning Club will take home $7 million, with increased prize allocations spread across the remaining top finishing positions. At EWC 2025, the Club Championship race went down to the final week of competition, with seven Clubs still in contention entering the closing stages.
Speaking on the announcement, Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, emphasized the role the prize pool plays in supporting the competitive ecosystem:
“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 Reichert. “EWC is different because of the Club Championship. One title crowns a champion. EWC crowns the ultimate cross-game Club Champion.”
Alongside the Club Championship, individual game Championships will each feature their own prize pools, totaling more than $39 million.
The remaining prize money will be distributed through a range of Club and Player Awards, including MVP awards for each tournament and the Jafonso Award, which recognizes players or Clubs that secure a Game Championship after advancing from a Last Chance Qualifier.
Additional prize funding will also be shared through qualifying events hosted by partnered publishers and organizers ahead of the tournament in Riyadh.