AG.AL has been crowned the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 Club Champion, concluding seven weeks of competition in Paris. The organization secured the $7 million prize and title after an event that drew over 2,000 players from 200 clubs across more than 100 countries, competing in 25 tournaments spanning 24 games. The total prize pool for EWC 2026 reached $75 million.
The EWC 2026, the first hosted outside Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, recorded substantial growth in engagement. The event reached 850 million viewers globally, marking a 13% year-on-year increase, and accumulated 440 million hours watched, up 26% from the previous year. Ticket sales for esports competitions surged by 94% compared to 2025, reaching 175,000. Total visits across venues, the Fan Fest, and city activations in Paris surpassed 2 million.
AG.AL Secures Victory in Final Weekend
AG.AL clinched the Club Championship with 5,300 points, primarily due to a decisive victory in Trackmania during the final weekend. This win, delivered by AG.AL‘s Gwendal “Gwen” Duparc, was critical after two-time defending champions Team Falcons’ Carl-Antoni “Carl Jr.” Cloutier exited the Trackmania playoffs early. Duparc’s first-place finish in Trackmania secured AG.AL an additional $130,000 and the overall Club Championship.
Throughout the tournament, AG.AL demonstrated consistent performance, including a first-place finish in Tekken 8, second-place finishes in Chess, Free Fire, and the Honor of Kings World Cup, and a third-place finish in Teamfight Tactics. Team Falcons finished second overall with 4,600 points, followed by Team Vitality with 3,300 points, Natus Vincere with 2,950 points, and Team Liquid with 2,700 points.
His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan al Saud, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Esports Foundation, commented on the event’s international expansion. “Bringing the EWC to a global audience beyond Saudi Arabia marks an important milestone in its journey and reflects the growing recognition of esports as a global industry, connecting communities, cultures and audiences around the world,” he stated. He also highlighted the attendance of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and President Emmanuel Macron as a testament to the industry’s growing global interest.
Eddy Chen, COO at AG.AL, reflected on the team’s achievement. “Our journey in Paris reflected the strength of the entire organization, from M. Zubair’s breakthrough in TEKKEN 8 and our deep runs across multiple titles to Gwen delivering the decisive Trackmania victory under extraordinary pressure,” Chen said. “Winning the Club Championship is a historic milestone for AG.AL and a proud moment for everyone who believed in what we are building.”
Event Highlights and Notable Performances
EWC Paris 2026 was marked by several individual standout performances. France’s Caliste “Caliste” Henry-Hennebert led Karmine Corp to the League of Legends Grand Final in front of a home crowd. Fifteen-year-old Chilean Jaime “Craime” Bustos became the youngest EWC champion in history. AG.AL’s Khawaja “M. Zubair” secured the TEKKEN 8 EWC championship trophy, while Samy “dralii” Hajji achieved his third victory in Rocket League, making him the first three-time Esports World Cup champion. Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen also repeated as Chess champion without a single loss.
The broadcast reached a peak viewership of 4.3 million during the League of Legends tournament, distributed globally by over 100 broadcast and OTT partners in 47 languages. More than 5,000 creators and co-streamers contributed to the coverage.
Ralf Reichert, Chief Executive Officer of the Esports Foundation, emphasized the event’s broader mission. “Our ambition has always been bigger than a single event: to grow esports and establish it as a leading global sport,” Reichert said. “The Esports World Cup brings that mission to life by bringing the best games, players, Clubs and communities together on one global stage.”
The EWC 2026 culminated a year-round competitive journey that included over 1.5 million players participating in 330 “Road to EWC” events. For more insights on such significant esports industry developments (https://technosports.co.in/), visit TechnoSports.
Global Impact and Future Outlook
As the first Esports World Cup hosted outside of Riyadh, Paris played a significant role in the event’s global expansion. The city embraced the EWC, with tournament symbols appearing at major landmarks and local clubs competing before sold-out audiences. The Counter-Strike tournament moved to the 20,000-seat Accor Arena for its final weekend due to high demand.
The event’s legacy in France extends beyond the competition. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Esports Foundation and the French Ministry of Sports, Youth and Community Life aims to foster long-term cooperation in youth development, digital skills, and esports participation.
The Esports World Cup (https://esportsworldcup.com/) is scheduled to return to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2027.
