EWC 2026: The CS2 World Championship Expands with Record Scale and $2M Prize Pool
The organizers of the Esports World Cup have announced that the Counter-Strike 2 World Championship 2026 will be the biggest in the series’ history. The tournament will take place from August 12 to 23, 2026, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, at Boulevard Riyadh City, with a total prize pool of $2,000,000.
A total of 32 teams will compete, and all stages — from open qualifiers to the grand final — will be played on LAN in Riyadh. Teams will arrive on August 10, with Media Day scheduled for August 11.
Format and Qualifiers
The first stage (Group Stage) will consist of 4 groups of 8 teams in a Double Elimination format. Opening matches will be Bo1, while all following matches will be Bo3. The top 4 teams from each group will advance to the playoffs. The final stage will feature 16 teams, with Bo3 matches throughout and a Bo5 Grand Final.
The qualifiers for the main event will begin with the LAN Open Qualifier in Riyadh (August 7–9). The event can host up to 128 teams and offers a $100,000 prize pool. The top four teams will earn slots at the main championship.
Invitation System
Invitations will be based on the VRS rankings (June–July 2026):
- 21 global invites for top-ranked teams;
- 2 slots for the best teams from North America, South America, and Asia each;
- 1 slot for the Asian Champions League 2026 winner;
- 4 slots from the Open Qualifier.
This system ensures a truly global lineup, bringing together elite teams from every region and guaranteeing a highly competitive event.
Prize Pool
The organizers have significantly increased the rewards, making EWC 2026 one of the most lucrative tournaments in CS2 history. The total prize pool stands at $2 million, emphasizing the event’s scale and prestige.
- 1st — $600,000
- 2nd — $340,000
- 3rd — $190,000
- 4th — $110,000
- 5th–8th — $60,000
- 9th–16th — $35,000
- 17th–23rd — $20,000
- 24th–32nd — $10,000
EWC 2026 is set to become the main CS2 event of the year, uniting the world’s best teams on one stage in Riyadh.
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