Esports World Cup 2026 Brings Crypto Sponsors to the Table

The Esports World Cup 2026 kicked off in Paris with a $75 million prize pool, marking one of the richest competitive gaming tournaments ever staged. Korean powerhouse Nongshim RedForce took down G2 Esports 2-1 in VALORANT Group C action.

Nongshim RedForce dominated the opening map, Breeze, with a 13-5 win. G2 clawed back on the second map but ultimately fell short, forcing a decider that Nongshim closed out to take the best-of-three series.

The Esports World Cup is operating under new French guidelines that allow licensed crypto entities to sponsor esports events. This means companies like Coinbase can now put their logos on jerseys and run digital content campaigns during the tournament, but with certain limitations. They cannot engage in on-site activations or token integrations.