Upcoming Esports Events (2026)

Esports are gaining popularity with each passing year, and as such, more and more events are popping up around the world.

Whether you like League of Legends, Dota2, or CS:GO, there are esports events out there for everyone. Read on to learn more about the largest upcoming esports events this summer and beyond.

Valorant Challengers in Brazil

For Valorant fans, the challenger tournaments are well underway, having started on May 6^th. This elimination-style tournament has many games and levels and won’t come to a conclusion until July 12^th. While it is too late for entrants for this year, the final games on their circuit are definitely worth watching as players battle it out for the $82,165 prize pool.

IEM Cologne Major

This year’s IEM Cologne Major is taking place in Cologne, Germany, and has a massive prize pool of over $1 million US dollars. This event has already started on June 11^th, with a wrap date of June 21^st. While this is a must for Counter Strike fans, Stage 3 (which is the current stage) has been sold out for months. But if you missed out, it’s definitely a must for your calendar next year.

Valorant Masters London 2026

Unfortunately for Valorant fans, the Masters event in London has also already started. With a prize pool of over $1 million USD, the top teams started competing on June 6^th and will continue to compete until June 21^st. We were unable to find ticketing information for this event.

XSE Pro League 2026

For the Counter Strike fans who missed the Cologne Major, there is still time to attend the Pro League competition in Guangzhou, China, happening from June 29^th to July 12^th. We were also unable to find ticketing information for this event, but we also do not read Chinese, therefore we suspect they may be available for purchase at the LAN site.

Esports World Cup 2026

If you follow multiple esports games, then one of the few places where you will be able to see more than one game is none other than the Esports World Cup happening in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this year. At the World Cup, you can watch everything from Valorant to Dota 2, and even PUBG. While the event starts on July 2^nd, different games are staggered, with the final competition taking place on August 23rd. While the prize pools vary based on the game, almost all are somewhere between $1 million and $2 million, meaning this is an event that can change players’ lives. Tickets are still available for all games on the Esports World Cup website.

The International 2026

Dota2 fans have always had their share of large events, and in Shanghai, China, the International starts on August 12^th and completes on the 23^rd. If you can’t make it to Saudi Arabia and are a Valorant fan, you should definitely consider this event. Like many of the other events happening in China, we were unable to find ticketing information, though we suspect information may become available as the event draws closer.

Pokémon UNITE World Championship

In the past, we didn’t mention Pokémon in our esports articles, as Pokémon wasn’t a major part of esports until recently. This year, the World Championship will take place in the USA with a prize pool of $500,000 USD. The event is happening in San Francisco from August 28^th-30^th, and though it looks like some tickets are still available, many of the multi-day options are sold out. So, if you wanted to attend, it’s best to buy tickets sooner rather than later.

Valorant Championships 2026

Just after the conclusion of The Internationals, Valorant fans can stick around for a month to attend the Valorant Champions, which is also taking place in Shanghai, China, with a prize pool of over $2.25 million USD. The event starts on September 24^th and continues until October 18^th.

Rocket League World Championship Series

For fans on a strict budget, Rocket League is the esport to follow, as the World Championship series takes place online from September 14^th until the 20^th. This year, the prize pool is $1.2 million USD. One of the coolest things about Rocket League is that they run weekly tournaments with cash prizes, which are typically open entry. This means that the advanced (but not professional) players have a chance to make some cash (just not at the World Series level!)

PGL on FiRe Sao Paulo

Counter Strike fans can almost always find an event near them to attend, but none are as big as the massive tournaments held in Brazil. If you fancy a trip somewhere a little warmer, the PGL on FiRe tournament starts on September 1^st in São Paulo and continues until October 11^th. This event is competitive, with a prize pool totaling $1.25 million USD.

October is a busy event month for Counter Strike fans, and if you can’t make it to South America, there is also the PGL in Barcelona from October 1^st to October 10^th, and the PGL Belgrade in Serbia from October 24^th  to October 31^st.

Additional events include the ESL Pro League in Katowice, Poland, from October 3^rd to October 11^th, and the Thunderpick World Championship in Malta from October 14^th to 18^th. Both of these events have a $1 million USD prize pool.

League of Legends Esports Nations Cup

League of Legends fans, we didn’t forget about you, and the Esports Nations Cup will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, after the conclusion of the World Cup from November 21^st until November 29^th. This is the biggest event for LOL with a massive prize pool of over $1.5 million USD. As of the writing of this article, tickets are still available, and there is also a service that can help you design a vacation package to Saudi Arabia.

Of course, this isn’t the full list of events this year, just the biggest ones for the most popular esports games. If there is a certain game you didn’t see listed here, don’t be afraid to do a quick Google search—you never know when there might be a large esports event near you!