Evo France Moves from Nice to Paris Amid Declining Participation in Key Games

Evo France is making a significant move from Nice to Paris for its third edition, scheduled for October 22-24, 2027. This transition is being managed by a new French promoter that started operations in March, tasked with expanding the European leg of a fighting game circuit now fully owned by Qiddiya from Saudi Arabia.

The announcement came from New Esports Org. (NEO) as the 2026 event wrapped up at Nice’s Palais des Expositions. NEO expressed excitement about the 2027 event, promising to gather even more fans and surprises in Paris, although a specific venue has yet to be revealed.

The primary reason for the relocation is the need for more space. NEO President Bertrand Amar stated that the Palais des Expositions has reached its maximum capacity. The Palais is Nice’s largest venue, and plans for a new exhibition and congress center are still years away, with previous estimates targeting 2032. Amar clarified that there is no long-term agreement with Paris, similar to the arrangement with Nice.

In a joint statement, Amar indicated that Evo France is set to “change dimension” in 2027, aiming to become “one of the biggest esports and community events in the world.” RTS CEO Stuart Saw added that they intend to offer something unprecedented in Europe, aligning with the international growth of the Evo circuit.

This shift concludes a two-year partnership that Nice had included in its bid to establish itself as an esports hub. The city’s budget reports for 2025 and 2026 highlighted Evo as a key event, with the Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur identifying itself as a “major partner.” However, specific financial details were not disclosed.

Political changes in Nice have influenced the event landscape. After Éric Ciotti replaced Mayor Christian Estrosi in March, he cut €2.65 million in city subsidies for various events, but Evo was not among them. Ciotti noted that since Evo is organized by a private entity renting the venue, it generates revenue for the city, making its modest involvement acceptable. Deputy Mayor Pierre Ippolito mentioned that Evo contributes approximately €10 million to the local economy, although he did not specify how this figure was derived.

The new company taking Evo to Paris is NEO, co-founded by Amar and Matthieu Dallon, who previously created the Electronic Sports World Cup. Amar led Webedia’s esports operations before launching NEO, which organized the 2025 Evo France in partnership with Sony and RTS. NEO was officially registered in Paris in December 2024 and began operations in March 2026, recently increasing its share capital. Amar’s holding company is the president, while Dallon’s serves as managing director.

Amar has indicated that NEO finances much of its operations independently, although they partner with Riot for certain events. Reports suggest that Amar estimates the cost of a year-long competition at €200,000 to €300,000, with larger events potentially reaching up to €3 million. NEO is also frequently mentioned as a potential operator for the Ligue Française de League of Legends, although they have stated they are not currently planning to invest in the league.

Evo’s ownership has undergone multiple changes since August 2025, with Sony and RTS initially acquiring it in 2021. NODWIN Gaming later purchased Sony’s stake, and Qiddiya invested in RTS, which completed its acquisition of NODWIN in early 2026. New Evo events are also planned for Singapore, Morocco, and Brazil, but it remains unclear who will bear the financial risk for the Paris edition.

NEO and RTS reported that the Nice edition attracted nearly 20,000 attendees this year, with competitors from 95 countries, although this figure has not been independently verified.

However, the registration data presents a mixed picture. Total registrations on the start.gg platform increased by 15%, from 3,498 in 2025 to 4,010 in 2026, but entries in the five games featured both years declined, with Street Fighter 6, the main title, seeing a 36% drop. The growth in registrations was primarily due to new games introduced in 2026, including 2XKO, which Riot Games has since discontinued.

Key details still remain uncertain, such as the Paris venue and its capacity, potential contributions from the City of Paris or the Île-de-France region, and the financial arrangements made by Nice and the Métropole for the previous editions.

Evo France has clearly outgrown its initial host city, raising the larger question of whether a self-funded promoter can leverage a larger venue to create a more significant event, especially in light of declining entries in its core games this year.