Macron crowns 2026 Esports World Cup champion in presence of crown prince

PARIS — Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and French President Emmanuel Macron attended the Esports World Cup 2026 closing ceremony in Paris on Sunday. The Crown Prince witnessed Macron crown All Gamers Global (AG.AL) as the 2026 Club Champion. AG.AL dominated the tournament with 5,300 points, taking home a $7 million grand prize from an overall prize pool surpassing $75 million, the largest esports prize pool ever.

The Saudi Press Agency reported that the Crown Prince's presence demonstrated his ongoing support for the gaming and esports industry. It also highlighted the robust Saudi-French relationship and their shared dedication to leveraging sports, culture, and creative sectors to bolster cooperation and partnerships.

The 2026 tournament spanned seven weeks, running from July 6 to August 23, and attracted more than 200 teams and 2,000 professional players from 100 countries. Competitors participated in 25 tournaments featuring some of the world's most popular games. The event saw a remarkable 94% surge in ticket sales for esports competitions.

More than 850 million viewers tuned in to watch the tournament across digital platforms, amassing over 440 million hours of viewing time through global broadcasts in 47 languages. Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports Foundation, commended the Crown Prince's continued support, stating that Paris marked a new chapter in the tournament's international growth.

He praised the event's success in creating a global sporting and cultural platform that could traverse major world capitals, with Riyadh remaining the tournament's primary home.

Reichert congratulated AG.AL on their championship victory and expressed gratitude to Paris for hosting the tournament, acknowledging the French government and other contributors to its success. This was the first time the Esports World Cup had been held outside Saudi Arabia. The Esports World Cup originated from a Saudi initiative announced by the Crown Prince in 2023, with the first two editions held in Riyadh in 2024 and 2025 before Paris became the first international city outside the Kingdom to host the tournament in 2026.