Karim Benzema Makes Esports World Cup Debut in Paris

Karim Benzema made his first appearance at the Esports World Cup 2026 in Paris, taking part in an EA SPORTS FC 26 showmatch before the FC Pro World Championship final and describing the tournament's scale as "impressive."

The Al Hilal striker and 2022 Ballon d'Or winner teamed up with former world champion and EA SPORTS FC content creator Bruce Grannec on July 26th. Representing Team Benzema, the pair defeated Team Amine—featuring French creator Amine and gaming creator Brak—by 4-0 on the Esports World Cup stage.

"I was surprised by the scale of the event," Benzema said. "It was my first time here and I wasn't expecting anything quite like this... The noise, the atmosphere and the people all stood out. The players are incredibly focused. They have dedicated press, rest, concentration and training areas. The entire set-up is extremely impressive."

Benzema also reflected on his long-standing connection to football video games, saying he spent "many hours" playing with his brother and friends. During his 14 seasons at Real Madrid, he said the Spanish club was his preferred team in EA FC, adding that he often tried to recreate on screen what he did on the pitch. He also noted that gaming remains part of dressing-room culture, although players now spend slightly less time playing than in previous years.

Running from July 6th to August 23rd, the Esports World Cup 2026 brings together more than 2,000 players and over 200 clubs from more than 100 countries, competing across 25 tournaments in 24 games for a record USD 75 million prize pool. Champions have already been crowned in 14 tournaments, including 100 Thieves in VALORANT, UNLIMIT in Apex Legends, Team Vitality in the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Women's Invitational, Dplus KIA in League of Legends, PVISION in Dota 2, Virtus.pro in PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, and G2 Esports in the Call of Duty: Warzone Resurgence Series.