Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Esports Federation, affirmed that the launch of the 2026 Esports World Cup from the French capital Paris marks the beginning of a new chapter in the global tournament's journey, stating that the project, which started from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has become an international platform bringing together players, clubs, game publishers, and fans under one umbrella.

He explained during the opening press conference held at the Paris City Hall, in the presence of the city's governor Emmanuel Grégoire and French Minister of Sports, Youth, and Community Life Marina Ferrari, that the Kingdom's vision from the outset aimed to solidify esports as one of the largest global sports competitions, noting that Riyadh will remain the historical home of the tournament, while Paris represents the first international stop in its global expansion.

He indicated that over seven weeks, the tournament will host more than 2,000 male and female players representing over 200 clubs from 100 countries, competing in 25 tournaments covering 24 games, for a record total prize pool exceeding $75 million, making it the largest event of its kind in the history of esports.

For his part, CEO of the Esports Foundation Ralf Reichert affirmed that the Paris edition marks a pivotal milestone in the tournament's development, noting that more than 100,000 tickets have been sold so far, a record figure reflecting the great public demand for the event.

Reichert explained that moving the tournament to Paris came while preserving the essence of competition, providing the best experience for players, clubs, and fans, stressing that the French capital has the necessary capabilities to host the world's biggest events, and that it represents the ideal launch for the first edition held outside the Kingdom.

He added that the tournament unifies various esports games under one global competition, while the club championship remains the heart of the event, as clubs compete for the title of the best esports club in the world, in a unique model that aggregates results from different games into a single race.