EWC 2026 Kicks Off with Official Launch
The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has officially kicked off the “Road to EWC 2026,” a global qualification program designed to pave the way for competitors heading to the Esports World Cup 2026 in Riyadh, scheduled from July 6 to August 23. This initiative features over 230 qualifying tournaments and competitions, providing a season-long journey for aspiring esports athletes.
These qualification events span all major regions and competition tiers, utilizing a cohesive global calendar that connects various publisher leagues, international tournaments, and open qualifiers.
According to EWCF, the Road to EWC 2026 establishes a “clear pathway from grassroots and online competitions to the Esports World Cup stage.” The competitions will feature popular titles that will be showcased during EWC 2026, including League of Legends, Valorant, Call of Duty, Fortnite, Apex Legends, PUBG, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Rocket League, Tekken, Street Fighter, Trackmania, and Chess. Additionally, there will be an open online route for grassroots players in games like Dota 2, Teamfight Tactics, Chess, and Call of Duty: Warzone.
“Road to EWC brings together the journeys that shape competitive esports,” stated Faisal Bin Homran, chief product officer of the Esports World Cup Foundation. “By creating a defined qualification season, it gives the whole industry the confidence to plan; players can focus on performance, clubs can allocate resources earlier, publishers can align their ecosystems, and fans will know when and where the biggest moments will unfold. If we continue to build together, we can grow the sport in a sustainable, inclusive, and truly global manner.”
EWCF also noted that the Road to EWC 2026 will be integrated into numerous global esports ecosystems managed by publishers and third-party tournament organizers, using official leagues and premier tournaments as pathways to EWC 2026. This includes events and ecosystems for Apex Legends Global Series, Capcom Cup, the Chess.com Global Championship, Combo Breaker, CROSSFIRE Pro League, EA Sports FC Pro, EVO, Free Fire World Series, Fortnite Reload Elite Series, King Pro League (Honor of Kings), Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang MWI 2026, Overwatch Champions Series, PUBG Global Series, PUBG MOBILE Global Open, Rocket League Championship Series, the SNK World Championship (Fatal Fury), TEKKEN World Tour Finals, and the official esports circuits for Call of Duty, League of Legends, Fortnite, Rainbow Six Siege, Trackmania, and Valorant.
For more details about the Road to EWC 2026, check out the newly launched Road to EWC hub.
It’s worth noting that projects supported by the Saudi government often face scrutiny, with accusations of being used for “sports washing” to distract from the country’s human rights record, including issues related to women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and the treatment of journalists, as well as military actions in Yemen. These concerns have been raised by various international watchdog organizations.
