Crown Prince Joins Macron at Esports World Cup Closing

Chinese esports club AG.AL was crowned the 2026 Esports World Cup Club Champion in Paris, with French President Emmanuel Macron presenting the trophy during a closing ceremony attended by Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman.

AG.AL finished first in the overall standings with 5,300 points, securing the USD 7 million grand prize. Two-time defending champions Team Falcons finished second with 4,600 points, ending the Saudi club’s bid for a third consecutive title.

The championship was ultimately decided during the inaugural Trackmania tournament, where AG.AL’s Gwendal ‘Gwen’ Duparc delivered the result needed to move the club ahead of Falcons. AG.AL’s wider campaign also included victory in TEKKEN 8 and runner-up finishes in Chess, Free Fire and the Honor of Kings World Cup.

The 2026 edition marked the first Esports World Cup held outside Saudi Arabia, after the tournament debuted in Riyadh in 2024 and returned there in 2025. Paris hosted more than 2,000 professional players representing 200 clubs from over 100 countries across 25 tournaments, with a total prize pool exceeding USD 75 million.

Organisers reported 850 million viewers across digital platforms and more than 440 million hours watched, increases of 13% and 26% respectively compared with 2025. Ticket sales for esports competitions rose 94%, reaching 175,000.

“We are deeply grateful for the continued support of HRH the Crown Prince, which has been instrumental in building the Esports World Cup into the global platform it is today,” Esports Foundation CEO Ralf Reichert said, describing Paris as a new international chapter while Riyadh remains the tournament’s home.

The Esports World Cup was announced in 2023 as a Saudi-born global esports initiative. After its first international edition in Paris, the competition is set to return to Riyadh in 2027.