The Esports Foundation (EF) and Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) will expand their long-term collaboration at the Esports World Cup 2026 (EWC), introducing fans in Paris to Qiddiya City, the future home of the competitive play and a global destination for entertainment, sports, and culture.
From July 6 to August 23, EWC 2026 will bring together more than 2,000 players and 200 Clubs from over 100 countries at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, marking the first edition of the world’s largest esports and gaming event hosted outside of Riyadh. While Paris hosts this year's edition, Riyadh remains the home of EWC and where the competition grew into a global phenomenon. At EWC 2026, Qiddiya City will introduce visitors to its vision for the future of play.
As the Founding Partner of the EWC, Qiddiya City has become an integral part of the event experience. At EWC 2026, it will continue that presence as the naming rights partner of one of the event's four competition stages. The Qiddiya City Grid will welcome over 1,000 spectators and host competitions across Apex Legends, Free Fire, PUBG: Battlegrounds, Call of Duty: Warzone, PUBG MOBILE, and Fortnite.
"Riyadh is the home of the Esports World Cup and the city that helped establish it as a global platform for esports," said Mohammed Al Nimer, Chief Commercial Officer of the Esports Foundation. "As we bring EWC to Paris for its first international edition, Qiddiya City offers fans a glimpse of the competition's long-term future. It reflects a shared ambition to create a unifying destination for players, Clubs, publishers, partners, and fans, and we look forward to sharing that vision with the global esports community this summer."
Muhammad Bassrawi, Chief Marketing & Destination Officer at Qiddiya Investment Company, said: “Qiddiya City is proud to be part of EWC 2026, a global platform that brings together the gaming and esports community through competition, entertainment and shared experiences. As the world’s first city Powered by Play, Qiddiya City is building toward becoming the undisputed global epicenter of gaming and esports fans. Our partnership with EWC reflects our long-term commitment to shaping the future of play and creating world-class experiences for players, fans and the global gaming community.”
The partnership also forms part of Qiddiya City's new brand campaign and visual identity, which celebrate the power of play and the energy it inspires. Through EWC 2026, Qiddiya City will bring that vision to one of the world's largest gaming audiences, connecting with players and fans through unique experiences that define modern gaming culture.
Guided by a long-term vision, Qiddiya City is being developed as a future home of the Esports World Cup. Spanning more than 183,100 square meters, it will feature four purpose-built esports arenas with a combined capacity of 73,000 seats, facilities for up to 25 esports Clubs, and regional headquarters for more than 30 gaming companies, creating a year-round destination for the gaming community.
The expanded partnership builds on Qiddiya's presence at EWC 2025, where the Qiddiya Arena welcomed more than 42,000 visitors and the PlayLife activation drew a further 216,000, alongside a global campaign across the Middle East and China that reached millions of fans.
Qiddiya City is the new entertainment, sports and culture destination being built 45km outside Riyadh and designed around a belief that play is one of the most powerful human instincts, driving how people connect, compete, create, and feel.
Spanning more than 360 square kilometres, Qiddiya City is being developed as a city powered by play in everything it offers, from world-class sport and gaming to entertainment and culture, built for the people of Saudi Arabia and visitors from around the world. Through EWC 2026, that vision comes to life for one of the world's largest gaming audiences, connecting players and fans with the city's growing role in global esports.
To learn more about EWC, visit esportsworldcup.com.
