PARIS: The Esports World Cup 2026 has landed in Paris, and Week 1 has wasted no time getting into full swing. With the opening ceremony complete, there are already three trophies on the line as attention turns to the first Championship Weekend of EWC 2026.
Week 1 sees the conclusion of VALORANT, Apex Legends, and Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves championships. This also marks the beginning of the $30m Club Championship race, with clubs looking to put points on the board and attempt to challenge Saudi’s Team Falcons, who are going for their third Club Championship title.
The main highlights to look out for over the weekend will include:
VALORANT
VALORANT kicked EWC 2026 into life after a ferocious group stage, where half the teams were sent home. VALORANT will cap off the weekend on Sunday 12 July, with their second EWC Championship. Defending EWC winners Team Heretics topped Group D without dropping a series and have arrived in Paris as the side everyone has been keeping an eye on.
Team Heretics are not alone, however, as other group toppers and second-place finishers are coming for the title. American team 100 Thieves and French clubs Team Vitality and Gentle Mates all secured top spots with the same 2-0 record. Meanwhile, 2025 VALORANT Champions winners NRG will surely be gunning for the top spot. The title picture will become clear quickly, as the best-of-three matches are all single-elimination, meaning there are no second chances heading into the grand finale.
Apex Legends
The ALGS Year 6 Split 1 Playoffs brought 40 of the world’s best Apex Legends squads to Paris for a $2 million prize pool, a chance at the Club Championship, and vital championship points on the road to the ALGS Year 6 Championship. Three days in, Elite Esports EU have set the pace, leading the standings on 138 points with an 18-point cushion over second, while Team Liquid, AG.AL and Gaimin Gladiators complete an in-form top group.
The group stage concludes today with teams in 15th to 34th moving on to tomorrow’s Survivor Stage. Teams in 35th to 40th are eliminated.
Then it all resets for Saturday’s Match Point Finals, where the surviving 20 squads start afresh. The first team to reach 50 points and then win an outright match is crowned the EWC winner and ALGS Year 6 Split 1 champion. A strong group stage banks seeding and momentum, but nothing more, so the pressure ramps straight back up once the finals begin.
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves at EWC brings 32 of the world’s sharpest fighters to Paris for a $1 million prize pool, and the opening group stage has wasted no time making a statement. Reigning EWC Winner Goichi “GO1” Kishida has looked every bit the man to beat, going undefeated in the first round and booking a Group Stage 2 spot in short order.
Highlights of his journey include a marquee Mr. Karate mirror against Shoji “Fenritti” Sho, where he edged the win, before Fenritti battled back through the lower bracket to advance anyway. GO1 is far from a lone flag-bearer for Japan, with four of the eight players in Group Stage 2 hailing from the country.
The name most likely to deny a GO1 repeat is Xiaohai, fresh from winning both EVO 2026 and EVO Japan 2026 this season. Double-elimination groups now trim the field before the single-elimination final stage, where first-to-five sets decide the EWC winner on Saturday.
Dota 2
Dota 2 is not having a trophy lift this weekend; however, the intense competition is set to heat up with 24 teams fighting through the group stage in Paris, with a $2 million prize pool on the line. Dota 2’s Championship Weekend will appear in Week 2, but there’s a lot still to play for.
Team Spirit, the reigning EWC champions, are currently in a tricky spot. Having drawn with MOUZ, the club bounced back against Team Nemesis. As the final major stop before The International 2026, every series doubles as a form guide for Valve’s own season finale later this year. We’ll bring you the full recap onc
