Esports Foundation Expands Creator Program for 2026 Tournaments with $2 Million Reward Pool

The Esports Foundation (EF) has announced the opening of applications for its 2026 Creator Program, a significant expansion of its co-streaming initiative. The program aims to enlist 5,000 co-streamers for the upcoming Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 and the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026, backed by a substantial $2 million reward pool. This initiative underscores the growing importance of creator-led content in driving viewership and engagement within the competitive gaming landscape.

Creator Program Expansion

Building on the success of its 2025 program, which engaged 3,500 co-streamers, the EF is scaling up its efforts to enhance the distribution of its flagship tournaments. The 2026 program will span both EWC 2026, scheduled to take place in Paris, and ENC 2026, which will be held in Riyadh. The EF describes this as the largest co-streaming program in esports history, aiming to formalize and scale creator-led strategies that have been identified as a primary growth driver in the industry.

The program offers approved creators the opportunity to co-stream selected tournaments on their personal channels. Participation will follow a Battle Pass-style system, where creators complete missions, climb leaderboards, and unlock rewards. These rewards can include gift cards, gaming gear, consoles, and special invitations to future EWC and ENC events. While reward eligibility is tied to the Battle Pass system, the EF emphasizes that anyone worldwide can apply to become an official co-streamer.

EWC Relocates to Paris

The upcoming EWC 2026 is set to mark a significant shift in its logistical arrangements. The tournament will be held outside of Saudi Arabia for the first time, relocating from Riyadh to Paris. This decision comes in response to escalating conflict in the Middle East that has disrupted air travel to Saudi Arabia. Despite the change in venue, the tournament schedule remains unaffected, with EWC 2026 scheduled to run from July 6 to August 23, featuring all 25 planned tournaments and 24 games. The event will be hosted at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, expecting over 2,000 players and 200 clubs from more than 100 countries.

The prize pool for EWC 2026 has also seen an increase, totaling $75 million. This is divided among the individual game tournaments ($38 million), the Club Championship ($30 million), and the Road to EWC qualifiers ($7 million). This represents an increase from the $71.5 million awarded in 2025 and $62.5 million at the tournament’s launch in 2024. The Esports World Cup, launched in Riyadh in 2024, is funded by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and is led by chief executive Ralf Reichert. Its 2025 edition attracted over 750 million viewers and accumulated 350 million hours watched across various platforms.

Esports Nations Cup (ENC)

The ENC 2026, set to take place in Riyadh in November, is described as a pioneering nation-based competition. This event provides a platform for creators to rally audiences and build support for their respective countries and territories, adding a new dimension to the EF’s competitive offerings.

Creator-Led Content as a Media Trend

Wasae Imran, director of broadcast and distribution at the Esports Foundation, highlighted the broader shift in media consumption. He stated, “This isn’t just an esports trend; it’s a media trend. Across music, video, news and sport, audiences don’t just watch what they’re given anymore. They choose their own experience: what to watch, where to focus, and how deep to go. Esports just lives further down that road than most, and traditional sport is heading the same way.”

This perspective is supported by market analysis, with GameSquare’s Justin Kenna, whose Stream Hatchet unit compiled relevant viewership data, noting the “redistribution of attention” driven by multistreaming and esports content. This trend is reshaping market share on streaming platforms, with global live-streaming viewership reportedly up 6% year-on-year to 36.4 billion hours, according to Stream Hatchet’s 2025 report. The Creator Program aims to leverage these evolving viewer habits by empowering creators to deliver personalized viewing experiences across major platforms including Twitch, YouTube, Bilibili, and Huya.

Key facts
| Detail | Information |
|—|—|
| Program Name | Esports Foundation 2026 Creator Program |
| Supported Events | Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026, Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026 |
| Target Co-streamers | 5,000 |
| Reward Pool | $2 million |
| EWC 2026 Location | Paris, France |
| ENC 2026 Location | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
| EWC 2026 Dates | July 6 – August 23, 2026 |
| ENC 2026 Dates | November 2026 |

The expansion of the Esports Foundation’s Creator Program and the increased reward pool signify a strategic move to capitalize on the growing creator economy within esports. For viewers interested in competitive gaming and streaming, this development suggests a more diverse and engaging content landscape for major tournaments in 2026. The emphasis on creator-led distribution channels reflects a broader trend in digital media, where audiences increasingly seek personalized and interactive viewing experiences.

Source: European Gaming, https://europeangaming.eu/portal/press-releases/2026/06/15/206856/esports-foundation-opens-creator-program-applications-for-ewc-and-enc-2026/

Datos clave