On Sunday, August 2, the Esports Foundation will bring the Esports Festival to the Champs-Élysées in Paris, transforming ‘the most beautiful avenue in the world’ into the largest public celebration of gaming and esports France has ever seen. While the capital vibrates all summer to the rhythm of the Esports World Cup (EWC) at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, this exceptional event moves beyond its venue walls right into the heart of the capital.
EWC 2026: The Esports Festival
Co-created with the Comité Champs-Élysées, this free, open-air festival celebrates a community that already includes more than 11.8 million esports participants and over 2 million regular viewers in France, while opening the door for an even broader audience to experience competitive gaming.
By combining world-class esports competition with creators and personalities recognized across gaming, sport and entertainment, the Esports Festival by Esports World Cup makes esports accessible and approachable for families, hardcore fans and curious newcomers alike. Bringing the energy of the Esports World Cup to the world’s most beautiful avenue transforms the Champs-Élysées into a shared cultural space where Parisians and visitors can discover, experience and participate in esports together.
The event advances the Esports Foundation’s mission to grow esports into the world’s biggest sport by introducing it to new audiences, strengthening its connection with communities and helping build a more sustainable future for the industry.
The EWC 2026 also marks the largest-ever Indian representation at the tournament. S8UL and GodLike Esports, two of India’s leading esports organizations, were selected by the Esports Foundation for its 2026 Club Partner Program and are competing across multiple mobile, PC, and console titles, including Chess. Beyond competition, both clubs are also engaging Indian audiences through creator-led content and watch parties across the country.
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They are joined by other Indian organizations, including Revenant Xspark, Global Esports, Orangutan, Apex Gaming, Total Gaming, and True Rippers, with athletes competing across multiple esports titles after qualifying through official pathways. Chess also featured a dedicated qualification pathway through the India Rising qualifier, which was hosted in Mumbai, further reinforcing India’s growing role in the global esports ecosystem and the country’s expanding presence at the EWC.
At the heart of the Esports Festival, a legendary showdown will take place featuring the three pioneers of French esports and founders of the country’s leading Clubs on stage with an impressive lineup of top personalities from music, entertainment, and content creation. Forming unprecedented mixed teams, these players will compete in high-energy mini-tournament in Rocket League, and participate in Trackmania, and EA SPORTS FC 26 showmatches.
In addition to the main stage, a vast interactive area will welcome the public throughout the afternoon. On the agenda: hands-on activities to explore the gaming world, as well as educational talks and panel discussions with professional athletes and teams that take you behind the scenes of elite esports. For more information, visit the event website and follow the Esports Foundation.
