$7 million! AG.AL crowned Esports World Cup 2026 club champion after landmark Paris edition

AG.AL were crowned Esports World Cup 2026 club champions after a dramatic final weekend in Paris, securing the $7 million (~INR 66.9 crore) top prize following seven weeks of record-breaking esports action featuring more than 2,000 players, 200 Clubs and 25 tournaments across 24 games.AG.AL finished on 5,300 points, edging two-time defending champions Team Falcons, who ended runners-up with 4,600 points. Team Vitality finished third with 3,300 points, followed by Natus Vincere (2,950) and Team Liquid (2,700).The club championship went down to the wire, with AG.AL completing their campaign through Gwendal “Gwen” Duparc's victory in the inaugural Trackmania tournament. The Frenchman delivered under pressure to win the tournament and secure the club championship for AG.AL.Falcons had entered the Trackmania playoffs at the top of the overall standings, but Carl-Antoni “Carl Jr.” Cloutier's quarterfinal exit opened the door for AG.AL. Gwen then dominated the final, securing the $130,000 (~INR 1.2 crore) tournament prize and, more importantly, the club championship.AG.AL's title-winning campaign also featured a first-place finish in Tekken 8, second-place finishes in Chess, Free Fire and the Honor of Kings World Cup, and a third-place finish in Teamfight Tactics.AG.AL complete remarkable campaign“When we began expanding AG.AL globally in 2024, the same year the Esports World Cup launched, we set out to build a Club capable of succeeding across games, regions and cultures. This title shows how far that vision has come,” said Eddy Chen, COO at AG.AL.“Our journey in Paris reflected the strength of the entire organization, from M. Zubair’s breakthrough in TEKKEN 8 and our deep runs across multiple titles to Gwen delivering the decisive Trackmania victory under extraordinary pressure. But this trophy belongs equally to every player, coach and staff member whose dedication brought us here.”The Paris edition also produced several memorable individual performances. France's Caliste “Caliste” Henry-Hennebert led Karmine Corp to the League of Legends Grand Final in front of a home crowd, while 15-year-old Chilean Jaime “Craime” Bustos became the youngest Esports World Cup champion after defeating two EVO champions.AG.AL's Khawaja “M. Zubair” also captured the Tekken 8 title, while Rocket League star Samy “dralii” Hajji became the first three-time Esports World Cup champion. Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen successfully defended his Chess title without losing a game.Paris delivers record numbersThe 2026 edition set new benchmarks for the Esports World Cup, with the event reaching 850 million viewers and generating 440 million hours watched — increases of 13% and 26%, respectively, year-on-year. Peak viewership reached 4.3 million during the League of Legends tournament.The event was distributed globally through more than 100 broadcast and OTT partners in 47 languages, with 5,000 creators and co-streamers supporting its coverage.In another major milestone, 175,000 tickets were sold for esports competitions, a 94% increase from 2025. Total visits across competition venues, Fan Fest and city activations exceeded two million during the seven-week event.“We are proud of what the Esports World Cup has achieved in Paris and of its continued international growth,” said His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan al Saud, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Esports Foundation.“Bringing the EWC to a global audience beyond Saudi Arabia marks an important milestone in its journey and reflects the growing recognition of esports as a global industry, connecting communities, cultures and audiences around the world.”Paris was the first city outside Riyadh to host the Esports World Cup. More than 22,600 campaign placements across the capital reached 94% of Parisians, while the final weekend's Counter-Strike tournament was staged at the 20,000-seat Accor Arena.The event followed a year-long competitive journey involving more than 1.5 million players across 330 Road to EWC events.“Our ambition has always been bigger than a single event: to grow esports and establish it as a leading global sport,” said Ralf Reichert, Chief Executive Officer of the Esports Foundation.The Esports World Cup will return to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2027.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.