The Esports World Cup 2026 officially got underway in Paris on Wednesday with a grand opening ceremony at La Seine Musicale, marking the first time the global tournament is being staged outside its previous host nation. The ceremony welcomed players, esports clubs, publishers, creators and fans from more than 100 countries ahead of seven weeks of competition. More than 2,000 players representing 200 clubs will compete across 25 tournaments in 24 game titles for a record prize pool of $75 million. Blending live music, cinematic visuals and elements of Parisian culture, the event celebrated the start of the tournament while introducing the French capital as the new host city. Performances by French artists Aya Nakamura, DJ Snake, Theodora and Mosimann were accompanied by orchestral music, dance performances, augmented reality and large-scale stage production. Club Championship trophy unveiled One of the ceremony’s key moments was the unveiling of the Esports World Cup Club Championship trophy, followed by the introduction of representatives from leading esports organisations competing for the overall club title. The event began with a …