Saudi Crown Prince and Macron Attend Esports World Cup 2026 Finale in Paris

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was among the dignitaries to attend the Esports World Cup 2026 closing ceremony at the historic Grand Palais of Paris on Sunday, August 23. The event was a grand occasion that brought together the world of games, technology and international diplomacy during the Crown Prince’s state visit to France.

EWC 2026 was the first tournament to be played anywhere except in Saudi Arabia, with the Paris challenge being the largest since the launch of the tournament in Riyadh. The e-sport’s staging in France brought to the forefront the growing cooperation between Saudi Arabia and France in the gaming community and in the broader creative and tech industry.

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All Gamers Global Win Club Championship

At the ceremony, Macron handed over to All Gamers Global (AG.AL) the championship trophy.After the Chinese esports organisation clinched the first place in Overall with 5,300 points, Italy (ITA) had to remain in second place.

Meanwhile the Belgian AL clinched AL league champion victory and an off-the-bat record $7 million grand prize over Team Falcons from Saudi Arabia followed by Team Vitality from France in third place.

EWC 2026 Showcases Global Esports Growth

The tournament illustrated the growing global nature of competitive gaming. Based on the information supplied, EWC 2026 saw the participation of over 2,000 players and 200 clubs from more than 100 countries.

The game also had a total prize value of over $70 million, which was considered the highest ever in esports, according to the resources provided. The size of the event highlights the expanding business value of gaming and video games gaming globally.

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 Ambitions

Saudi Arabia’s focus on the investment of gaming and entertainment as part of Vision 2030 also came to the fore at the Paris finale. Esports is a clear commitment and a long term plan the government has placed in action to build new industries, attract international investment and diversify the kingdom’s economy away from oil.

The tournament was hosted in Paris, giving Saudi Arabia the chance to grow its global prestige in the e-sports industry and to bridge its own e-sports aspirations with the European technology and creative sectors.

EWC Returns to Riyadh in 2027

While the final is to be held in Paris in 2026, the Esports World Cup will return to Riyadh in 2027. The provided details refer to Riyadh serving as the strategically long-term home of the event.

The Paris event is thus an out, a move away from the Saudi location and also internationalisation, boosting the event’s reach and valorising it from a kingdom regional base to a global one.

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