Public service broadcaster France Télévisions (France TV) has secured exclusive domestic rights to the Esports World Cup 2026 (EWC 2026) as Paris prepares to host the relocated event today.
Under the agreement, France TV will provide exclusive coverage of the competition via the ‘La Minute EWC’ daily highlights show that will air across linear channels France 4 and France 2, as well as the France.tv website.
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Highlights will also be featured on the broadcaster’s social media channels throughout the event, which starts today (July 6) and runs through August 23.
The deal, struck with the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF), was brokered by New Esports Organization, the European esports promoter founded by Bertrand Amar and Matthieu Dallon, which will manage the full production of the daily program.
Through the partnership, EWCF is hoping the EWC 2026 will reach mainstream audiences in France, one of the most established esports markets in the world, with 11.8 million people aged over 15 interested in esports, according to the France Esports Barometer, the annual national study conducted by the association France Esports in partnership with audience measurement company Médiamétrie.
The study also found six million people in France actively participate in competitive gaming, while more than 1.5 million compete in amateur and semi-professional tournaments.
Mohammed Al Nimer, chief commercial officer at the EWCF, said: “France is one of the countries that helped shape modern esports. Its fans have filled arenas, built some of the world’s most passionate communities, and supported clubs and players who have left a lasting mark on our sport.
“Bringing the Esports World Cup to Paris means bringing it to one of esports’ true homes. Through France Télévisions, audiences across the country will be able to follow the stories, rivalries, and defining moments of EWC every day on national television.
“Our ambition is to help esports become one of the world’s biggest sports, and that starts by making its greatest moments accessible to everyone.”
The EWCF announced in May that the EWC 2026 would relocate to Paris from its original scheduled destination of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, due to ongoing conflict in the region.
At the time, several missiles and drones were being aimed at Riyadh by the Iranian regime due to the war between Iran on one side and Israel, the US, and some Gulf states on the other.
For this year’s event in Paris, more than 2,000 professional players representing 200 clubs from 100 countries will compete across 25 tournaments in 24 games for a record prize pool of $75 million.
Disciplines will include League of Legends, Counter Strike 2, Dota 2, Valorant, EA Sports FC 25, PUBG, Street Fighter 6, and chess, among others.
Last year’s edition held in Riyadh reached more than 750 million viewers worldwide, according to EF, having been distributed across 28 platforms through 97 broadcast partners and more than 800 channels in 35 languages, reaching audiences in 140 countries.
