Esports

List of Biggest Esports Tournaments in the World

A ranked list of the most prestigious and highest-paying esports tournaments held annually or periodically around the world.

10 itemsUpdated Mar 15, 2026

Esports tournaments have evolved from small LAN parties to massive arena-filling events watched by millions online. The International and League of Legends World Championship are considered the two most prestigious events in competitive gaming. The Esports World Cup, launched in 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has become one of the largest multi-game esports events with over $60M in total prize money. These events draw live audiences in the tens of thousands and online viewership in the hundreds of millions.

#	Name	Game	Format	Frequency	Organizer
1	The International (Dota 2) Valve The International is the most iconic Dota 2 tournament and historically the richest in esports, with prize pools exceeding $40M at its peak.	Dota 2	18 teams, group stage + double elimination	Annual	Valve
2	League of Legends World Championship Riot Games LoL Worlds is the most-watched esports event globally, with the 2023 final peaking at over 6.4M concurrent viewers on Western platforms alone.	League of Legends	Play-ins, Groups, Knockout	Annual	Riot Games
3	Esports World Cup Saudi Arabia The Esports World Cup is a multi-game festival launched in 2024 in Riyadh with over $60M in total prize money across multiple titles.	Multi-game	Multiple game tournaments	Annual	Esports World Cup Foundation
4	Counter-Strike Major Championships Valve CS Majors are the pinnacle of Counter-Strike competition, held twice per year with a $1.25M prize pool and Valve sponsorship.	Counter-Strike 2	Challengers, Legends, Champions stages	Twice per year	Valve (various TOs)
5	VCT Champions (VALORANT) Riot Games VCT Champions is VALORANT's premier annual world championship, featuring the top teams from all three international leagues.	VALORANT	16 teams, double elimination	Annual	Riot Games
6	EVO (Evolution Championship Series) FGC EVO is the world's largest fighting game tournament, featuring competitions across Street Fighter, Tekken, Mortal Kombat, and more.	Multiple Fighting Games	Open bracket, double elimination	Annual	Sony Interactive Entertainment
7	Fortnite Champion Series (FNCS) Epic Games FNCS is Fortnite's premier competitive circuit, featuring regional qualifiers and a global championship with millions in prizes.	Fortnite	Online qualifiers + LAN finals	Annual	Epic Games
8	RLCS World Championship Psyonix The Rocket League Championship Series World Championship is the biggest event in competitive Rocket League.	Rocket League	16 teams, group stage + playoffs	Annual	Psyonix / Epic Games
9	PGL Major (CS2) PGL PGL has become the most prominent tournament organizer for CS2 Majors, hosting events in major cities like Antwerp and Copenhagen.	Counter-Strike 2	Swiss system + Playoffs	1-2 per year	PGL
10	Call of Duty League Championship Activision The CDL Championship Weekend is the pinnacle of competitive Call of Duty, held annually with a multi-million dollar prize pool.	Call of Duty	Franchised league + Championship Weekend	Annual	Activision / CDL

This list is compiled from verified public records and reference sources. Last verified: March 15, 2026.

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