Esports World Cup relocated to Paris amid safety concerns, organisers say

The Esports World Cup (EWC) was moved from Riyadh to Paris’s Porte de Versailles exhibition centre after organisers cited safety concerns linked to the USA–Iran tensions, the Esports Foundation said this week; the relocation enabled fans and players to attend and the event will still offer its full prize pool.

Organisers told attendees that finding and preparing a suitable venue in Paris on short notice was a major logistical task, requiring installation of workstations, camera equipment and extensive cabling to support live broadcasts watched by millions.

French authorities supported the transfer, assisting with player visas after President Emmanuel Macron welcomed hosting the tournament, and the foundation reported strong ticket sales with some sessions already sold out.

The EWC, founded by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman through the Esports Foundation, has faced criticism over Saudi links, which opponents describe as an attempt to improve the kingdom’s international image amid human rights concerns; the foundation maintains it is a non-profit organisation.

Despite boycotts by some players and commentators, teams still compete for substantial prize money and many said they could not ignore the contest given declining esports funding; organisers state the event attracts about 2,000 players from 100 countries over seven weeks across titles such as Call of Duty, League of Legends and Valorant.

The move to Paris benefited European-based teams and players, including Paris-based Team Vitality, whose player Nikita “Derke” Sirmitev will have the opportunity to perform before a home crowd; the team’s CEO noted both conveniences and extra responsibilities from hosting an international field in their city.

Fans interviewed said the Paris location made attendance possible: supporters of Apex Legends described a lively atmosphere and some, including a French spectator backing TLN Pirates, said they purchased tickets immediately after the relocation announcement.

Esports Foundation CEO Mike McCabe highlighted time constraints as the biggest challenge but said technical preparations were completed, comparing the amount of cabling to a cross-country route between London and Birmingham; he added that in-person attendance is important to recreate the tournament atmosphere.

The foundation said the move to Europe is temporary and that it plans to return the EWC to Riyadh next year while hosting a sister event, the Esports Nations Cup, in Saudi Arabia as scheduled this November.