With Mouz and G2 Esports, two German teams are once again among the 20 organisations benefiting from the Club Partner Programme run by the former Esports World Cup Foundation. The foundation has dropped World Cup from its name in March, presumably with events such as the Nations Cup in mind.
In 2026, a total of 40 esports clubs from around the world can look forward to financial support from the Esports World Cup organisers’ fund. A total of $20 million will be channelled into the so-called Esports Foundation Club Partner Programme. Among the 40 organisations, nine are from Europe, including two from Germany: Mouz and G2 Esports.
The 40 clubs are: 100 Thieves, 9z Globant, All Gamers, Alpha7 Esports, Cloud9, Edward Gaming, Fluxo W7M, Fnatic, Furia, FUT Esports, G2 Esports, GAM Esports, Gen.G, Gentle Mates, GodLike, Heroic, JD Gaming, Levitian, Mouz, Navi, NIP. eStar, NRG, Onic, Reject, S8UL, Sentinels, T1, Team Falcons, Team Heretics, Team Liquid, Team RRQ, Team Secret, Team Spirit, Team Vitality, Titan Esports Club, Twisted Minds, Virtus.pro, Weibo Gaming, Wolves Esports, Zeta Division.
Including grants from previous years, the organisers of the Esports World Cup claim to have invested more than $100 million in esports clubs to support their development and growth. It is important to note, however, that selection for the Club Partner Programme does not constitute a wildcard ticket to the World Cup itself. The teams must qualify for participation just like all other teams.
“The Esports Foundation Club Partner Programme reaches fans globally and changes the way they experience esports. Over the past editions, it has created a platform for clubs to strengthen their brands and engage with audiences, and we’re seeing the results of that in the impact it delivers,” said Hans Jagnow, Director of Clubs, National Teams and Players Relations at the Esports Foundation.
Although there was no official announcement regarding the rebranding, Saudi Arabia, as the Foundation’s main sponsor, had decided to change the name in February. This was a logical and sensible decision, as from this year onwards the Esports Foundation will organise not only the Esports World Cup but also the Esports Nations Cup (ENC)
