Esports World Cup 2026 moves to Paris’ Porte de Versailles

The Esports Foundation confirmed the Esports World Cup 2026 will be held at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles from July 6 to Aug. 23. Organizers cited the ongoing conflict in the Middle East as the reason for relocating the event.

The exhibition center includes eight pavilions, two auditoriums and 32 conference halls. The complex can be configured for multiple competition stages, production areas, media operations and spectator spaces.

Organizers pointed to the venue’s infrastructure and event history when selecting Paris. The center has hosted Paris Games Week since 2010, staged the TFT Open in 2025 and served as the largest active competition facility during the 2024 Olympic Games.

The World Cup schedule spans more than seven weeks, allowing overlapping tournaments, qualifiers and finals across different titles and stages. Ticket options include:

• The Regular Tournament Pass grants access to all tournament days for one selected game, covering both group stages and the championship weekend. Silver seating is included for select titles.

• The Premium Tournament Pass includes fast-track entry to every match of the selected game tournament, including the group stages, along with a limited-edition goodie bag and access to the Gold seating zone for select titles.

• The Daily Regular Tournament Pass provides access to one competition day for one selected game, with seating-zone options available for select titles.

• Final Day Seating Zones for select championship matches in VALORANT, League of Legends, Rocket League, and Counter-Strike 2 will be divided into Gold, Silver, and Bronze tiers.rike 2 will be divided into Gold, Silver, and Bronze tiers.

The relocation followed security and operational concerns tied to the regional tensions in the Middle East, which organizers cited when confirming Paris as the host city. Placing the event in a Western European capital provides established event infrastructure and international transport links to support team travel and equipment movement.