The Esports Foundation has confirmed the 40 organizations selected for its 2026 Club Partner Program, setting the stage for a high-stakes season leading into the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026.
Now in its third year, the $20 million initiative brings together top teams from regions including North America, Europe, MENA, China, Korea, Southeast Asia, India, and Latin America. The program serves as both a funding platform and a competitive runway, as clubs begin their qualification journey toward one of esports’ biggest multi-title events.
What’s at stake: funding, exposure, and the Club Championship
Each organization in the program is eligible for up to $1 million in funding, alongside strategic support aimed at boosting content, fan engagement, and global reach.
But beyond financial backing, the bigger prize lies in the Esports World Cup ecosystem itself—particularly the Club Championship, where organizations compete across multiple titles for overall supremacy.
Importantly, inclusion in the program does not guarantee a slot at the Esports World Cup. Teams must still qualify through official circuits, making the 2026 season a dual test of both competitive performance and organizational strength.
List of EWC 2025 Partner Clubs
- 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
- LEVIATAN
- 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
Proven system backed by $100M investment
Since launching in 2023, the Club Partner Program and its related initiatives have distributed over $100 million to participating organizations.
That investment has translated into measurable impact. In 2025, partner clubs generated more than 300 million campaign views and engaged over 10 million fans across 370 initiatives, including content drops, live events, and over 130 watch parties worldwide.
The model reflects a shift in esports: organizations are no longer just competing in tournaments—they are building media ecosystems around players, narratives, and fan communities.
Global field features esports’ biggest names
The 2026 cohort includes a mix of established powerhouses and rising organizations, such as Fnatic, G2 Esports, T1, NAVI, Team Liquid, Team Falcons, ONIC, and Team Secret.
Eight teams earned direct entry through their placements in the 2025 Esports World Cup Club Championship standings, while the remaining spots were filled through a competitive application process that drew over 150 applicants globally.
Collectively, the selected clubs command a combined audience of more than 300 million fans, underlining their influence in shaping the modern esports landscape.
Qualification remains the ultimate challenge
Despite the scale of the program, the road to the Esports World Cup 2026 remains unforgiving.
Clubs must still navigate regional leagues, international qualifiers, and title-specific circuits to secure their place. This creates a layered competitive structure, where organizations must balance performance across multiple games while maintaining consistent fan engagement throughout the season.
For multi-title organizations, this also raises the stakes of roster depth, scheduling, and long-term planning—key factors in the race for the Club Championship.
What’s next: road to EWC 2026 begins
With the partner clubs now locked in, focus shifts to the competitive calendar, where teams begin their campaigns across various titles tied to the Esports World Cup ecosystem.
The 2026 season will test not just mechanical skill, but organizational execution—how well teams can convert funding, visibility, and fan momentum into results on the biggest stage.
As the qualification race unfolds, one thing is clear: the Esports World Cup is no longer just a tournament—it’s a year-long global circuit where only the most consistent clubs will survive.
