On Sunday, August 2, a large-scale open-air esports festival—the Esports Festival by Esports World Cup—will take place in Paris. The event, organized by the Esports Foundation in collaboration with the Comité Champs-Élysées, aims to bring gaming culture beyond traditional arenas and introduce it to a broader audience.
Admission to the festival will be completely free and will not require tickets. Organizers aim to attract Parisians, tourists, families, and individuals who have not previously been interested in esports. For one day, the famous avenue will transform into a stage where competitive gaming will merge with traditional forms of entertainment.
The main event will feature mixed teams comprising the founders of leading French esports clubs—Team Vitality, Karmine Corp, and Gentle Mates—alongside well-known personalities from the worlds of music and content creation.
The star-studded rosters will compete in the following disciplines:
Beyond the main stage events, a dedicated interactive area will operate throughout the day. Visitors will be offered hands-on gaming activities, educational lectures, and panel discussions featuring professional players and team representatives.
The festival will run parallel to the main Esports World Cup tournament, which is being held at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles exhibition center. Organizers position the event on the Champs-Élysées as "the largest public celebration of gaming and esports in France's history," pointing to the country's domestic audience of over 2 million regular viewers.
This initiative is part of the Esports Foundation's global mission to transform esports into the biggest sport in the world. As Ralf Reichert, the Foundation's CEO, noted in a 2025 interview, the primary objective is to attract new audiences and expand far beyond the core fan base to ensure the sustainable development of the industry.
The scale of this year's tournament is supported by significant investments. Saudi Arabia is reportedly investing around $290 million to host EWC Paris 2026. This is linked to the emergency relocation of this year's championship from Riyadh to the French capital.
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