LONDON, 8 July 2026 – DAZN, the world’s leading sports entertainment platform, has announced that it will bring the Esports World Cup 2026, the world’s largest annual esports event, free-to-view to audiences around the world* for the third year running.
The Esports World Cup is a seven-week celebration of competitive gaming, taking place in Paris from July 6 to August 23, 2026. First launched in Riyadh, the event brings together leading clubs and elite players, all observed by an audience of hundreds of thousands of fans.
This year’s edition will feature 24 game titles spanning multiple genres, including first-person shooters, multiplayer online battle arenas, fighting games and sports simulations. Under the international “Road to EWC” pathway, more than 1.5 million players competed through 330 globally hosted qualification events.
Each week of competition will focus on a different set of titles, creating a continuous calendar of high-intensity matches and championship moments. Running throughout the event, the Club Championship will reward consistency across titles, with players earning points to determine the world’s leading esports club. Team Falcons currently top the standings with 221 qualifications.
The tournament will start with an opening ceremony on July 8 at La Seine Musicale in Paris, France, with performances from internationally renowned artists, including DJ Snake and Aya Nakamura.
Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports Foundation, said: “The Esports World Cup brings together the world’s leading games, players, clubs and communities on one global stage. It speaks to esports fans, gaming fans and new audiences everywhere, and DAZN is uniquely positioned to help us make that experience accessible globally, for free.”
Shay Segev, CEO of DAZN Group, said: “The Esports World Cup is a landmark global sporting event that showcases the very best of competitive gaming across multiple genres. Its scale, innovation, and ability to engage younger audiences make it a perfect fit for DAZN. We are excited to bring this competition to fans worldwide free-to-view for the third year in a row and to continue cementing our leading position in sports entertainment.”
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Notes to Editors
*DAZN will broadcast the Esports World Cup globally excluding in China, Korea, CIS, Ukraine, Malaysia, Hungary, Finland, and Japan (on an ad hoc basis). Find more information on availability on dazn.com
