The 2026 Esports World Cup is set to be an incredible event. The Esports World Cup Foundation recently announced a massive $75 million prize pool and a lineup of twenty-four games, guaranteeing top-tier competitive gaming action.
The Esports World Cup, already a major event, is planning to grow even bigger. Organizers recently announced they hope to add more competitions in the future, with a particular focus on including more women’s tournaments held in Saudi Arabia.
More Women’s Representation in Riyadh
At a recent press conference, Mike McCabe, the COO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, and Fabian Scheurmann, the Chief Games Officer, discussed the importance of including LGBTQ+ individuals and women in esports. McCabe clearly stated their goals for greater representation in the future.
All attendees are welcome in the Kingdom. Saudi Arabia is promoting a cultural shift by supporting competitive gaming.
We’re eager to offer more competitive tournaments specifically for women within EWC.
We need to collaborate with publishers to create opportunities for these competitions to gain wider recognition. We’re aiming to see more women’s competitions happening in the future.
(thanks to Esports Insider for the quote)
Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF), stated in 2024 that the Esports World Cup in Riyadh would be open to all competitors.
He reiterated that statement when TopMob sat down with him later that year:
The Esports World Cup is open to everyone, and we’ve made a special effort to build a welcoming space where gaming fans worldwide can come together and enjoy their shared love of the sport.
We’ve created the perfect energetic vibe for this huge event, and I highly recommend anyone who loves gaming and esports to come experience it. There are tournaments, concerts, and a festival – it’s a fantastic atmosphere, and I’m confident people will feel differently about it once they’ve been here.
Women’s esports are growing quickly, and we’re seeing more tournaments designed specifically for female and LGBTQ+ players. VALORANT’s Game Changers program is a great example of this recent success.
Grant Taylor-Hill
Grant’s love of video games began in his earliest years with the Amstrad CPC, even before he was fully mobile. Now, he’s a skilled gamer across many different platforms, and his passion for gaming remains as strong as ever.
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2026-01-21 19:50