Record Scale and Football-Style Rules: How CS2 EWC 2026 Will Take Place in Paris

From August 12 to 23, 2026, the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles venue in Paris will host the largest Counter-Strike 2 tournament in Esports World Cup history. 32 teams will participate in the event, competing for a $2,000,000 prize pool.

Doubling the number of participants compared to the previous format is accompanied by substantial payouts for most teams:

• 1st place: $600,000
• 2nd place: $340,000
• 3rd place: $190,000
• 4th place: $110,000
• Guaranteed payouts for playoff participants: at least $35,000
• 17th–24th places: $20,000 each

All 32 teams will be split into four groups of eight teams each.

The stage will feature a Double Elimination system, giving teams a second chance after one loss:

• Opening matches: played in a Best-of-1 format.
• Subsequent matches: all further group stage fixtures will take place in a Best-of-3 format.

Following the group stage, the top four teams from each group will advance to the playoffs, while 16 teams will exit the tournament.

The 16-team playoff stage will feature a Single Elimination format. All matches in the final stage will be Bo3 series, with the champion decided in a Best-of-5 Grand Final.

The main intrigue of the tournament lies in abandoning traditional tournament bracket seeding in favor of a live, public draw:

• Seed pots: The winners of the four groups will go into the first pot, while the second-place teams will enter the second pot. First-pot teams will be drawn against second-pot teams.
• Restrictions: Teams that played in the same group cannot face each other in the first round of the playoffs.
• Impact on preparation: The absence of a predetermined bracket path will force coaching staffs to prepare a broader range of tactical options, while offering viewers an extra show following the group stage.

Esports World Cup 2026 starts on August 12, with the new champion crowned on August 23.

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As a reminder, Esports World Cup and Kolex have announced the launch of an official esports card collection.