France Télévisions and the Esports Foundation have announced a media partnership that will bring the 2026 Esports World Cup to French audiences. The public broadcasting group thereby becomes the official French media partner of the event.
Daily Coverage on France 4 and France 2
The group will offer exclusive coverage through "La Minute EWC," a daily program airing from July 7 at 9 p.m. on France 4, then in a late-night slot on France 2. Each episode will recap the highlights and latest news from the competition, and will also be available on France.tv and across the group's social media channels.
NRJ, for its part, is handling promotion of the opening ceremony, headlined by Aya Nakamura, DJ Snake and Theodora.
France, a Strategic Market for Esports
"France is one of the countries that helped shape modern esports" said Mohammed Al Nimer, Chief Commercial Officer of the Esports Foundation.
"Its fans have filled arenas, built some of the world's most passionate communities, and supported Clubs and players who have left a lasting mark on our sport. Bringing the Esports World Cup to Paris means bringing it to one of esports' true homes."
He added that the foundation's ambition is to make esports one of the world's biggest sports by making its greatest moments accessible to everyone.
A Business Model Driven by Sponsorship
Media rights remain a minor part of the EWC's economic model, which relies roughly 80% on sponsorship, with brands such as Sony, Lenovo and STC (Saudi Telecom Company), rounded out by ticketing and merchandising.
Backed by the Esports Foundation — a Saudi non-profit organization tied to the country's sovereign wealth fund, an association some criticize as a "sportswashing" tool — the competition aims this year to surpass the 750 million viewers reached in 2025, across all countries and platforms.
