As the esports industry gets ready for its biggest event of the year, the Esports World Cup, aka EWC, the Esports Foundation has shared the main criteria they look at when selecting the clubs to be a part of its Club Partner Program.
Hans Jagnow, the Foundation’s Director of Clubs, National Teams, and Player Relations, spoke in detail about the criteria during the Club Partner Program 2026 Online Media Rumble on April 27. He said while this is complex, they are four main areas the Foundation looks at when making a decision.
EWC’s Club Partner Program will support 40 organizations this year with a massive budget of $20 million. The program, now in its third year, remains one of the most lucrative “support-first” models in the industry, offering partners up to $1 million in annual funding to bolster their infrastructure and global reach.
However, the benefits come with intense scrutiny, as each of the teams is evaluated based on the following criteria:
Competitive pedigree
The Foundation examines a club’s long-term competitive history and, crucially, the breadth of its operations. Teams are assessed on the number of titles they remain active in, rewarding those who diversify across the esports ecosystem.
Fan engagement and storytelling
The EF looks for clubs with a proven ability to build and sustain a following. The goal is to partner with organizations that can draw a massive audience and keep them engaged through high-quality production and narrative-driven marketing.
“[This is] really important for us, especially as the Club Program is very much focused on engaging fans through state-of-the-art content, interesting storylines, [and] building really good communication around esports. We’re looking at that potential to activate fans in the best way possible,” Jagnow added.
Ambition and creativity
Jagnow shared that the Foundation looks for clubs with “crazy ideas”. This criterion focuses on clubs that demonstrate a high degree of ambition and creative strategy, those willing to take risks to redefine what an esports brand can be in 2026.
Regional representation
Lastly, to truly live up to the “World Cup” name, the program emphasizes regional distribution. The Foundation ensures that the cohort reflects a global footprint, preventing any single territory from dominating the partner list.
Some teams that exemplify these criteria are:
While being a partner provides financial stability and “legitimacy,” Jagnow was quick to clarify that it does not grant a free pass into the Esports World Cup tournaments. Every club, partnered or not, must still fight through traditional qualification brackets to earn its spot on the stage in Riyadh.
With the 2026 prize pool reaching a staggering $75 million, the stakes have never been higher for those looking to prove their worth in the esports front.
Featured image source: Esports Foundation
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