Esports World Cup 2026 Week 1: What’s Happening at EWC 2026 Week 1?
The Esports World Cup 2026 officially begins on July 6 in Paris, marking the start of a prestigious seven-week tournament held at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. The inaugural event features major competitive gaming across multiple titles, with the first three trophy winners to be decided during Week 1.
Valorant is among the featured competitions, running from July 2-12 with a substantial $2,000,000 prize pool. The tournament’s group stage commenced on July 2 during the event’s “Week 0” phase, with group play concluding July 6-7. The competition culminates with a playoff stage beginning July 9, featuring a single-elimination eight-team bracket format. The winning team takes home $600,000 in first-place prize money.
The Esports World Cup’s playoff format represents a significant departure from the VCT’s typical international competition structure, removing any room for error as teams compete in the single-elimination bracket for championship glory.