The Esports Foundation (EF) and Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) have expanded their long-term partnership for the Esports World Cup 2026 (EWC), bringing Qiddiya City’s vision to a global audience as the tournament makes its debut outside Saudi Arabia.
Running from July 6 to August 23 at Paris Expo Porte de
Versailles, EWC 2026 will feature more than 2,000 players and 200 clubs from
over 100 countries.
While this year’s edition is hosted in Paris, Riyadh remains
the permanent home of the tournament.
As a founding partner of the Esports World Cup, Qiddiya City
will serve as the naming rights partner of one of the event’s four competition
stages.
The Qiddiya City Grid, with capacity for more than 1,000
spectators, will host competitions in titles including Apex Legends, Free Fire,
PUBG: Battlegrounds, Call of Duty: Warzone, PUBG MOBILE and Fortnite.
The partnership also supports Qiddiya City’s new global
brand campaign, showcasing its ambition to become the future home of the
Esports World Cup.
"Saudi Arabia is the home of the Esports World Cup and
has established the event as a global platform for esports and gaming
culture," said Mohammed Al Nimer, Chief Commercial Officer of the
Esports Foundation. "As we bring EWC to Paris for its first international
edition, Qiddiya City’s presence offers fans a glimpse of the competition's
long-term future. It reflects a shared ambition to create a unifying
destination for players, Clubs, publishers, partners, and fans, and we look
forward to sharing that vision with the global esports community this
summer."
Muhammad Bassrawi, Chief Marketing & Destination Officer at Qiddiya Investment Company, said: “Qiddiya City is proud to be part of EWC 2026, a global platform that brings together the gaming and esports community through competition, entertainment and shared experiences. As the world’s first city Powered by Play, Qiddiya City is building toward becoming the undisputed global epicenter of gaming and esports fans. Our partnership with EWC reflects our long-term commitment to shaping the future of play and creating world-class experiences for players, fans and the global gaming community.”
The planned esports district will span more than 183,000
square metres and include four dedicated arenas with a combined capacity of
73,000 seats, facilities for up to 25 esports clubs and regional headquarters
for more than 30 gaming companies.
The expanded collaboration follows a successful EWC 2025,
where Qiddiya attractions welcomed more than 258,000 visitors.
Located 45 kilometres from Riyadh, Qiddiya City is being developed as a major entertainment, sports and culture destination, with esports positioned as a key pillar of its long-term vision. -TradeArabia News Service
