Esports World Cup 2026: A guide to the main cyber sports event of the year

The Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 is not just another esports tournament, it's a grand festival that brings together the top disciplines and gathers the strongest players and teams from around the world. Supported by the Esports World Cup Foundation, this event has long outgrown the confines of ordinary championships, becoming the central event of the year for the entire industry.

The main feature of the competition is the overall club score, which ties all games into one big race. Teams earn points for their organizations in various disciplines to determine the best club on the planet at the end of the season. And, of course, a prize pool of $70 million adds intrigue - for such money, players will fight to the last bullet and creep.

Dota 2 at the Esports World Cup

Dates: July 7–19, 2026

Prize pool: $2 million

Number of participants: 24 teams

Schedule

The Dota tournament at the World Cup is always a separate story. All the top teams come here, so there are no easy games, and the intensity is off the charts. The difference in class between the teams is minimal now, so sensations, when registered outsiders send home favorites, happen regularly.

The tournament bracket is built according to the familiar scheme with a group stage and playoffs with a lower bracket. This gives teams the right to make one mistake, making elimination matches even more spectacular and dramatic. All knockout games will be in a best-of-two format, while in the decisive grand final, the champion will have to take three maps.

This year, bookmakers consider Team Falcons, Team Spirit, PARIVISION, and BetBoom Team among the favorites. These teams consistently demonstrate high form, have strong drafts, and can adapt to any meta.

League of Legends

Dates: July 15–19

Prize pool: $2 million

Number of participants: 16 teams

Schedule

The League of Legends at the World Cup attracts millions of viewers, and it's not just about the substantial prizes. For clubs with a huge fan base, this is primarily a matter of prestige and an opportunity to prove their superiority on the international stage.

The tournament format is quite strict: only 12 teams start the journey in groups, from where the best make it to the playoffs. The game itself is extremely fast-paced now, so the fate of the maps is often decided in the first minutes - if you give away the starting advantage, it will be almost impossible to make a comeback.

Teams from the European LEC and Asian LPL are rightfully considered favorites here. These regions traditionally show the best level.of coordination, strategic thinking, and macro play.

Counter-Strike (August 19–23)

Dates: August 19–23

Prize Pool: 2 million dollars

Number of Participants: 32 teams

The CS tournament will conclude the Esports World Cup program at the end of August, and these matches traditionally attract the largest viewership. The competition this time will be simply insane - there is no clear dominant team at the moment, so we can expect a highly unpredictable battle.

The scheme of the tournament is familiar: first the group stage, followed by knockout games in a best-of-two format. In the final, teams will have to give their all in a best-of-three match. At this level, details decide everything, so the key factor will be map preparation, the ability to ban the opponent's strong points, and timely strategy changes during the rounds.

The main contenders for the trophy are Vitality and NAVI. These clubs have well-coordinated lineups, vast experience of big victories, and nerves of steel, allowing them to take even the most hopeless rounds.

Read the latest CS:GO predictions in the special section of our website.

Other Disciplines: A Brief Overview

In addition to the three key esports games, the EWC 2026 program includes other popular disciplines that also attract a huge audience. Among them are Valorant, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, EA Sports FC, various fighting games, and individual competitions. Each of them has its own prize pool and unique format, and the results of all tournaments affect the overall club standings.

Where to Follow the Schedule and Watch the Esports World Cup 2026 Broadcasts

To always stay up to date with the most relevant events, match schedules, tournament brackets, team lineups, and results, we recommend using the following resources:

• Our portal - Scores24.
• The official tournament website - esportsworldcup.com.
• The official EWC social networks.

All matches will be broadcast on the largest streaming platforms - Twitch and YouTube.

The Main Stars of the Esports World Cup 2026

The Esports World Cup 2026 has gathered a powerful lineup - both among participants and in the show program there are names that will definitely attract attention. People will come here who fans go to watch just like they would Messi or Ronaldo at the 2026 World Cup.

We should start with the main magnet for the general audience - Magnus Carlsen. Chess in the esports festival program is intriguing in itself, but the presence of the greatest grandmaster on the planet elevates the status of the tournament to a cosmic level. Magnus came to defend his championship title from last year, and even those who are far from gaming will follow his games.

A showdown is expected in the virtual football EA SPORTS FC 26.An epic showdown. All eyes will be on the Danish wunderkind Anders Vejrgang, who is racking up victories at major tournaments, and two-time EWC champion Manu Bachor. They will face tough competition from the powerful Turk Emer Yilmaz from Team Liquid and the cool-headed Levi de Vert.

As for traditional team disciplines, the concentration of stars here is simply off the charts. In the League of Legends, the main spectacle will be the legendary Korean Faker - a living deity of the scene and the most titled player in history. In CS2, fans will be personally rooting for m0NESY, whose sniper scope has long been terrifying all the world's tops. And in Dota, an extreme level will be shown by two-time international champions Yatoro and Larl, as well as Malr1ne, who is capable of single-handedly turning any map on his signature heroes.

Scores24's Prediction for Dota 2 at the Esports World Cup

The group stage (Stage 1) of the World Cup promises to be hot - teams are divided into four groups, where each Bo2 match is worth its weight in gold. Scores24 have studied the seeding and highlighted the main favorites in each six.

• Group A: The undisputed favorite here, regardless of any interim tournament position, remains Team Falcons and, of course, BetBoom Team. The presence of such teams as Xtreme Gaming and GamerLegion turns this group into a real "cauldron", but BB and Falcons are obliged to go further.
• Group B: Here all attention is focused on Team Liquid and Aurora Gaming. On paper, the "liquids" and Nightfall with the company look head and shoulders stronger than most of the group's opponents, including Nigma Galaxy and L1GA TEAM. The main intrigue - can someone create a sensation and displace the favorites from the top lines.
• Group C: The favorite of the six is Team Spirit. The "Dragons" traditionally read long group distances well. Their main competitor for leadership in the group will be PARIVISION, who also have an extreme individual skill.
• Group D: Perhaps the most evenly composed group, where an intriguing confrontation of CIS teams and world grands stands out. Experts recommend paying special attention to Team Yandex and Virtus.pro, who will face a tough test in matches against LGD Gaming and OG.

Our verdict: for reliable parlays and singles at the group stage, it is best to choose victories or handicaps for BetBoom Team (Group A) and Team Spirit (Group C) in matches against obvious outsiders - these teams rarely squander points. In Group D, a great option for risk would be bets on Team Yandex advancing to the next stage from the top places. Plus, don't forget about Aurora Gaming with their motivation and skill.