IESF sets $500,000 prize pool for 2026 world championship

The International Esports Federation has confirmed a $500,000 prize pool for the 18th World Esports Championship, scheduled for Dec. 15-20, 2026, at the Indonesia Convention Exhibition in BSD City, Banten, Indonesia.

The event is expected to feature more than 400 athletes from 160 national teams representing 101 countries. Competitors will take part in Counter-Strike 2 Open, Counter-Strike 2 Women’s, Dota 2, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Open, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Women’s, PUBG Mobile and eFootball.

The tournament will be held at ICE BSD City, which the IESF describes as Indonesia’s largest convention venue. It will be the third time Indonesia has hosted the federation’s main world championship, after Jakarta in 2016 and Bali in 2022.

The championship is scheduled after the postponement of the first Esports Nations Cup, which had been planned for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The ENC was moved to 2027 because of geopolitical instability in the Middle East.

The event will take place during administrative changes at the IESF. After Vlad Marinescu was elected president, the federation said it had settled outstanding operational liabilities from earlier tournament cycles and was debt-free.

The IESF’s Member National Federations will also meet in Indonesia for the federation’s Ordinary General Meeting. The meeting is expected to address governance policy and member representation.

The federation has created a Publisher and Clubs Commission to give game publishers and professional esports organizations an advisory role in its governance. Kedeng Le, chairman of Chinese esports organization All Gamers and chair of the Asian Electronic Sports Federation’s Club Commission, leads the commission. It will coordinate national federation priorities with professional team schedules and publisher business arrangements.

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