Paris: His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, attended the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup 2026 in Paris this evening, alongside President Emmanuel Macron of the French Republic. During the ceremony, HRH the Crown Prince witnessed President Macron crown AG.AL as the Esports World Cup 2026 Club Champion. The club secured the title after finishing first in the overall standings with 5,300 points, earning the $7 million grand prize.
According to Saudi Press Agency, HRH the Crown Prince's attendance underscored his continued support for the gaming and esports sector and his vision to position the Kingdom at the forefront of the industry's global growth and development. The 2026 edition recorded continued growth across the tournament, attracting large audiences and a 94% increase in tickets sold to esports competitions. More than 850 million viewers followed the competition across digital platforms worldwide, generating over 440 million hours of watch time through global content distributed in 47 languages.
CEO of the Esports Foundation Ralf Reichert expressed gratitude for HRH the Crown Prince's support, which has been vital in building the Esports World Cup into a global platform. He noted that bringing the event to Paris marks an important new chapter and demonstrates the strength of the model established in Saudi Arabia. Riyadh remains its home. Reichert also congratulated AG.AL on their victory and thanked Paris for its hospitality, as well as the French Government and all partners and stakeholders who contributed to the success of the first international edition.
The Paris edition signifies a new international chapter for the Esports World Cup, showcasing the strength of the model established in the Kingdom: a global sporting and cultural platform engaging audiences across major world capitals. Riyadh remains the home of the Esports World Cup and a central pillar of its long-term vision.
Held from July 6 to August 23, the 2026 edition brought together more than 2,000 professional players representing 200 clubs from 100 countries. They competed in 25 tournaments featuring popular esports titles for a prize pool exceeding $75 million, the largest in esports history.
The Esports World Cup was announced by HRH the Crown Prince in 2023 as a Saudi-born initiative with global ambition. Riyadh hosted the inaugural edition in 2024 and an expanded second edition in 2025, before Paris became the first international city to stage the tournament outside Saudi Arabia in 2026.
With the conclusion of its third edition, the Esports World Cup continues to strengthen its position as a global platform that brings people and communities together through competition, excellence, and innovation. The Kingdom continues to advance its leading role in shaping the future of esports and transforming young people's passion for gaming into sustainable economic, professional, and cultural opportunities.