The Esports Foundation (formerly called the Esports World Cup Foundation) has announced the 40 organizations that will be a part of the 2026 Club Partner Program.
These 40 esports organizations will receive up to 1 million in funding, along with strategic guidance and international exposure for the Esports World Cup 2026, set to return this summer to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The top eight organizations from 2025’s Esports World Cup Club Championship have been directly invited to the Club Partner Program, while the remaining 32 were selected through open application.
These selections were made based on their competitiveness, fan engagement, along with an evaluation of their strategic vision and marketing proposals.
Image source: Esports Foundation
The full list of clubs includes 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, and ZETA DIVISION.
A clearer version of these clubs, including the top eight from last year, the new additions, and the organizations no longer a part of the program, are as follows:
| Top 8 Clubs | Returning Clubs | New Clubs | Clubs no longer included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Team Falcons, Team Liquid, Team Vitality, Twisted Minds, Virtus.pro, All Gamers, Gen.G, Weibo Gaming | 100 Thieves, Cloud9, Edward Gaming, Fnatic, FURIA, G2 Esports, Gentle Mates, HEROIC, JD Gaming, LEVIATAN, MOUZ, NAVI, NIP.eStar, ONIC, REJECT, S8UL, Sentinels, T1, Team RRQ, Team Secret, Team Spirit, Wolves Esports, ZETA DIVISION | 9z Globant, Alpha7 Esports, Fluxo W7M, FUT Esports, GAM Esports, GodLike, NRG, Team Heretics, Titan Esports Club | Bilibili Gaming, EVOS, FaZe Clan, Gaimin Gladiators, Karmine Corp., Movistar KOI, LOUD, POWR, Team BDS |
“The Esports Foundation Club Partner Program reaches fans globally and changes the way they experience esports,” said Hans Jagnow, Director, Clubs, National Teams and Players Relations at the Esports Foundation. “Over the past editions, it has created a platform for Clubs to strengthen their brands and engage with audiences, and we’re seeing the results of that in the impact it delivers.”
Another notable thing from today’s announcement is the formal acknowledgement of the name change for the Esports Foundation, which happened earlier this year, first reported by The Esports Advocate.
The name change from the earlier Esports World Cup Foundation occurred during a meeting of Saudi Arabia’s Council of Ministers last February.
This change makes sense as the EF not only organizes the EWC now, but is also bringing the Esports Nations Cup (ENC).
Also read: Azerbaijan Esports Federation questions ENC selection after exclusion as National Team Partner
Featured image source: Esports Foundation
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