AG.AL Claims Esports World Cup Title in Record-Breaking Paris Final

The victory was decided during the final weekend of the event, when AG.AL’s Gwendal “Gwen” Duparc clinched the inaugural Trackmania tournament. This decisive win leapfrogged AG.AL over the two-time defending champions, Team Falcons, who finished second with 4,600 points. The campaign featured a diverse array of successes for AG.AL, including a first-place finish in TEKKEN 8, alongside high-ranking performances in Chess, Free Fire, and the Honor of Kings World Cup.

Hosting the event in Paris marked a significant expansion for the Esports Foundation, moving the competition beyond its traditional home in Riyadh. The tournament generated 175,000 in ticket sales—a 94% increase over 2025—and recorded 2 million total visits across city venues and fan activations. The competition spanned 24 games and involved 2,000 players representing 200 clubs from over 100 countries, competing for a total prize pool of $75 million.

Beyond the competitive outcome, the event solidified its reach through 440 million hours of viewership, a 26% year-on-year increase. Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports Foundation, noted that the Paris edition succeeded in establishing competitive gaming on a global scale. Looking ahead, the foundation signed a memorandum of understanding with the French Ministry of Sports to foster youth development and digital skills, while the tournament itself is scheduled to return to Riyadh for the 2027 season.