The 2026 Esports World Cup may be moved to Paris due to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East..

Gamesbeat exclusively reported on Thursday that the 2026 Esports World Cup may be moved to Paris, France, due to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

According to the report, a reporter from the online media outlet received this reliable information from an insider familiar with three executives within the organizing committee. Currently, the organizers are planning to discuss the matter with the heads of several indoor venues in Paris.

The report added that although Esports World Cup CEO Ralf Reichert had expressed his desire for the upcoming third Esports World Cup to continue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the change of venue was forced due to tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran, as well as geopolitical issues in the Middle East.

This report comes less than two months before the tournament's opening on July 6th. The 2026 Esports World Cup will last seven weeks, covering 24 different esports titles, with a total prize pool of $75 million.

The Counter Strike 2 tournament will be held during the final two weeks of the event, from August 12th to 23rd.

The tournament will feature 32 teams, double the number in 2025, with a prize pool of $2 million, an increase of $750,000 from last year.

Four of the 32 tournament slots will be awarded through an open LAN qualifier Bring Your Own Computer (BYOC)-LAN qualifier with up to 128 teams. However, it remains uncertain whether this qualifier will continue should the venue change.

The Global VRS will determine 21 slots, with two regional invitations each for North America, South America, and Asia. The final tournament slot will be awarded to the champion of the Hero Esports Asian Champions League, which is currently being held in Shanghai, which offers a prize pool of $150,000.

According to Valve's regulations, the Esports World Cup requires a license from the developer to be held in a new location or with a different format. The company last updated its license documents seven months ago.

Image source: Internet / HLTV