Esports World Cup to host free festival on Champs-Élysées

The Esports World Cup will stage a free, open-air gaming festival on Paris’s Champs-Élysées on Sunday, Aug. 2. The event is organised by the Esports Foundation and co-created with the Comité Champs-Élysées. It will be open to the public with no ticket required.

Founders from France’s esports clubs Team Vitality, Karmine Corp and Gentle Mates will appear on the main stage with figures from music, entertainment and content creation. Mixed teams will compete in a Rocket League mini-tournament and take part in Trackmania and EA FC showmatches.

A dedicated interactive area will run throughout the afternoon with hands-on stations, educational talks and panel discussions featuring professional players and teams. The festival is aimed at first-time audiences and families and is presented as a public, low-barrier way to experience competitive gaming.

The festival will run alongside the Esports World Cup’s main competition at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, which will occupy the city across the summer. Esports Leaders, an executive gathering at the Hôtel du Collectionneur, is scheduled to bring senior industry figures together during the event’s closing days.

The Esports Foundation described the Champs-Élysées gathering as ‘the largest public celebration of gaming and esports France has ever seen.’ The Foundation says the event is part of efforts to grow esports by introducing it to new audiences, strengthening community links and supporting industry sustainability. In 2025, the Foundation’s chief executive, Ralf Reichert, outlined plans to expand esports beyond its core fan base.

Organisers and other sources indicate substantial financial backing for the Esports World Cup in Paris. Saudi Arabia is reported to be investing about $290 million into EWC Paris 2026. The funding follows an emergency relocation of this year’s Esports World Cup from Riyadh to Paris, a change that accelerated plans to stage public-facing events in the French capital.

Organisers point to a domestic audience of more than two million regular esports viewers in France and expect the free festival to draw a varied crowd of residents and visitors. The event will present competitive matches alongside casual activities to provide an accessible introduction to gaming for attendees.