PARIS — Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, joined by French President Emmanuel Macron, attended the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup 2026 in Paris on Sunday.The Crown Prince also witnessed Macron crown All Gamers Global (AG.AL) as the 2026 Esports World Cup Club Champion.AG.AL topped the overall standings with 5,300 points, securing the $7 million grand prize from a total prize pool exceeding $75 million, the largest in esports history.**media[2754888]**The Saudi Press Agency said the Crown Prince’s attendance reflected his continued support for the gaming and esports sector, while underscoring the depth of Saudi-French relations and the two countries’ shared commitment to using sports, culture and creative industries to strengthen cooperation and partnership. The 2026 tournament was staged over seven weeks, from July 6 to Aug. 23, bringing together more than 200 teams and over 2,000 professional players from 100 countries. Competitors took part in 25 tournaments featuring some of the world’s most popular games.The event recorded significant growth across several indicators, including a 94% increase in ticket sales for esports competitions. More than 850 million viewers followed the tournament across digital platforms, generating over 440 million hours watched through global broadcasts produced in 47 languages.Esports Foundation CEO Ralf Reichert praised the Crown Prince’s continued support for the tournament, saying its staging in Paris marked a new international chapter in its development.He said the event demonstrated the success of a model launched in Saudi Arabia in building a global sporting and cultural platform capable of moving between major world capitals, while Riyadh remains the tournament’s principal home and a central pillar of its long-term vision.Reichert congratulated AG.AL on winning the championship and thanked Paris for hosting the tournament, praising the French government and other parties that contributed to the success of the event, which was held outside Saudi Arabia for the first time.The Esports World Cup originated from a Saudi initiative announced by the Crown Prince in 2023. Riyadh hosted its first two editions in 2024 and 2025 before Paris became the first international city outside the Kingdom to stage the tournament in 2026.
