The Esports World Cup 2026 opened in Paris on July 15 with a statement win from Chinese squad Anyone’s Legend over Korea’s Dplus KIA. Coinbase and Bitget are both debuting as official sponsors of the tournament, marking the first time major crypto platforms have attached their names to the EWC.
Esports sponsorships have historically been dominated by energy drinks, peripheral makers, and telecom giants. Two of crypto’s biggest brands showing up at a $2 million prize pool event in front of a global gaming audience signals something broader about where the industry thinks its next wave of users will come from.
What happened on the Rift
Anyone’s Legend, competing out of China’s LPL, took down Dplus KIA in a best-of-1 group stage match.
Top laner Flandre was the standout performer, posting 10 kills and 9 assists.
