The Esports World Cup 2026 is really starting to take shape, with a number of key announcements made, but there’s one major title that was missing in 2025 and returns in 2026: Fortnite. Now, we know the reason.
Fortnite remains one of the biggest games globally, with millions of players and a strong foundation in esports. It was present at the inaugural Esports World Cup in 2024 but, bizarrely, was left completely off the 2025 slate.
Now, it’s back in 2026, firmly integrated into the Fortnite esports ecosystem, and Esports.net spoke with the Chief Games Officer at the Esports World Cup Foundation, Fabian Scheuermann, about what exactly happened with Epic Games regarding the changes.
EWC Fortnite Didn’t Make Sense
Scheuermann explained that Fortnite’s integration to EWC in 2024 simply didn’t make much sense; they were using Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) and creating their own maps and modes, which made it feel less like a natural partnership.
In 2025, they didn’t want to risk releasing a product that didn’t align with their overall structure, so it was left out. Now, though, in 2026, they’ve figured it out and have big plans.
EWC will be the finale of the Fortnite Reload Elite Series, with 40 teams heading to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, fighting for their share of the $1m prize pool.
Scheuermann confirmed that they had a “deep partnership” with Epic Games, and have signed a “multi-year agreement” to have Fortnite at the Esports World Cup, meaning it will be a permanent feature at the tournament for the foreseeable.
While the exact length of the agreement was not confirmed, we could expect this to mean at least through 2027.
This came as the EWC announced a prize pool of over $75 million across the 25 tournaments, following the reveal of Trackmania as the final game at EWC 2026.