Next year, the Esports World Cup Foundation will continue to support 40 esports clubs with a total of €20 million through its Club Partner Program. The application deadline is December 18.
The EWCF is thus continuing the Club Partner Program launched last year, through which the organization is investing heavily in the expansion of esports worldwide. A total of 40 teams will receive financial support totaling around $20 million. The money will not be distributed in exactly equal shares. Nor does acceptance into the program mean that teams automatically qualify for the Esports World Cup finals. The clubs are to use the money to expand their global fan base, with a particular focus on growth regions such as India, China, Southeast Asia, and LATAM.
As in the previous year, eight teams are seeded in the partner program based on their strong performance in the last Esports World Cup. These teams are Team Falcons, Team Liquid, Team Vitality, Twisted Minds, Virtus.pro, AG.AL, Gen.G Esports, and Weibo Gaming.
The other 32 places will be filled through an open application process. Teams worldwide can apply for this until December 18. This year showed that the program can also be an opportunity for German esports organizations: both Mouz and G2 Esports were accepted into the program.
"Through the EWCF Club Partner Program, we continue to invest in organizations driving esports forward and growing their fanbase together with us. Our focus for 2026 is to deepen our global reach, supporting Clubs as they grow their communities and bringing new audiences into the world of esports. This program is not only about sustainability, but also about building the next generation of esports fandom," says Hans Jagnow, Director, Club and Player Relations, at the Esports World Cup Foundation.
