The Esports World Cup 2026, held at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles from July 6 to August 23, features a dedicated stage named "stc Contenders" that serves two distinct competitive purposes: hosting the final qualification rounds and the community-focused Warriors Cup.
stc Group, as the founding partner of the tournament, holds the naming rights to this stage. The final qualifiers represent the last opportunity for remaining clubs and players to secure a spot on the main stage, with competitions spanning eight games: Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Chess, Counter-Strike 2, EA SPORTS FC 26, Fatal Fury, Rocket League, Street Fighter 6, and Tekken 8.
In contrast, the Warriors Cup offers a different path—not toward professionalism but as a space for the community itself, allowing fans and amateur players of all levels to participate, gain recognition, and grow. Now in its third week, the Warriors Cup has seen increasing participation across titles such as Apex Legends, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Call of Duty: Warzone, Dota 2, EA SPORTS FC 26, League of Legends, PUBG: Battlegrounds, Rainbow Six Siege, Rocket League, Street Fighter 6, and Team Fight Tactics, with a target of over 10,000 players over the tournament's seven weeks.
While the final qualifiers continue to determine who advances to the main stage, these two formats together make the stc Contenders platform one of the most active at the Esports World Cup 2026—community competitions on one hand, and a route to professionalism on the other.
As the leading and founding partner, stc Group has secured exclusive naming rights to several key facilities at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, including the stc Arena, the main competition venue, and the stc Contenders stage. The 2026 edition of the Esports World Cup features over 2,000 professional players and 200 clubs from more than 100 countries, competing in 25 tournaments across 24 games for prizes exceeding $75 million.