EVO to Invest $1M Annually in EVO Locals Program

The Evolution Championship Series (EVO) has launched EVO Locals, a program that will allocate $1 million each year to support local fighting-game tournaments worldwide. Funding will be distributed through Evo Locals Grants & Partnerships, and applications will open in Fall 2026.

Grants are designed to cover a broad set of event costs, including gaming setups, venue rental, production expenses, staffing, graphic design, promotional trailers, social media support and commentator introductions. EVO described the funds as usable for ‘pretty much anything needed to run your event.’ The program intends to help organisers improve existing tournaments, start new events or maintain local communities.

Applications will undergo human review rather than relying solely on automated systems, with the level of review linked to the amount requested. Funding will be routed through both grants and partnership agreements to reach organisers and events of different sizes.

EVO is also releasing community tools. A beta FGC Community Directory is live on the EVO Locals page and allows players to search for communities by game, region and language. The directory includes verified Discord servers, regional hubs, resource servers and relevant subreddits for titles such as Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, Guilty Gear, Rivals of Aether, Mortal Kombat and Virtua Fighter. Additional updates are scheduled for August 2026.

An Interactive Locals Map is planned for Fall 2026 to help players locate nearby communities and events. A Global FGC Event Calendar will go live in August 2026 and will list streamed tournaments worldwide with event dates, stream schedules, broadcast languages and viewing platforms. EVO noted these tools were developed with input from tournament organisers and players and expects a dedicated EVO Locals website in early 2027.

The EVO Locals launch follows EVO’s full acquisition by Qiddiya/RTS, a company backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund that purchased NODWIN Gaming’s stake in the property. EVO has also added sponsors including Visa and Suzuki.