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EconomyGlobal Economy

China’s Esports World Cup win a showcase for market’s growth potential

With the EWC being held outside Saudi Arabia for the first time, the US$4.3 billion industry looks to grow its market, including in China

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French President Emmanuel Macron presents the EWC 2026 Club champions award to Chinese club AG.AL at the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup at the Grand Palais in Paris on Sunday. Photo: Reuters
Xiaofei Xuin Paris
China’s AG.AL has been crowned this year’s Esports World Cup (EWC) club champion in Paris on Sunday – a first for a Chinese team – earning US$7 million in prize money after winning or placing in multiple competitions across the 25-tournament series.
French President Emmanuel Macron presented the trophy to the team at Grand Palais at the heart of the French capital. Saudi Arabia’s Team Falcons came in second, while French team Vitality rounded out the top three after more than one month of intense competition.
Due to the conflict in the Middle East, the EWC was staged in Paris this summer – the first time it has been held outside Saudi Arabia.
The event was a reminder of the growing reach of the US$4.3 billion industry, with China among its biggest markets. Some insiders said the bulk of its growth was still to come as EWC looks to match the revenue and cultural pull of sports such as football.

“In football in Western markets, you have about US$50 to US$60 which the average fan spends per year. In esports, it’s about 10 per cent of that … so we have a 90 per cent pathway that we still have to unlock,” said Hans Jagnow, director of clubs, national teams and player relations at the EWC Foundation.

This year’s EWC saw more than 2,000 athletes compete in 25 tournaments across 24 games, with a total prize pool of more than US$75 million. The Saudi-based esports foundation invested €250 million (US$289 million) to organise the event in Paris, with the French government expecting indirect economic benefits of €600 million.

It was that figure that could help explain the enthusiastic response from Macron, who said in May that the chance to host the EWC in Paris was a “historic first and an honour for us”.

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