• by Fern Siegel , 5 hours ago

Soccer's World Cup has attracted global attention. But there is another global event that does the same.

The 2026 Esports World Cup runs July 6-August 23 in Paris. More than 2,000 elite players from over 100 countries compete across 24 game titles for a record $75 million prize pool.

To highlight what it takes to win, Esports Foundation produced “Greatness Recognizes Greatness,”  featuring soccer legend Cristiano Ronaldo, chess champion Magnus Carlsen and four of the most decorated esports players: Faker, YiNuo, KarlTzy, ZywOo. 

Each showcases a skill essential for victory: precision, calm, control, creativity and killer instinct.

Rather than a single agency of record, the Esports World Cup commercial was built by multiple agencies and companies. It runs on CNN, Eurosport, France TV and M6.

Shot on location in six countries, the tagline sums up the event’s ethos: “This is what winning is made of. And the greatest, they don’t wait for the stage. They earn it. This is where true champions rise. The Esports World Cup.”

This is the first time the festival has played outside Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports Foundation, told SVG Europe: “Paris has hosted some of the world’s biggest sporting events and is one of the great global capitals of sport, culture and entertainment. Together with the passion of French fans and the strong support we’ve received locally, we’re excited to bring the global esports community there for the next chapter of EWC.”

The 2025 event reached more than 750 million viewers worldwide. Peak concurrent viewership approached 8 million viewers. It was broadcast in 35 languages, reaching audiences in 140 countries, according to the Esports Foundation.