Esports Festival Turns Paris’ Champs-Élysées into a Celebration of Gaming and Digital Culture

The free public event brought together leading creators, professional esports players, musicians and fans for an afternoon that showed the growing influence of gaming in mainstream culture.

The festival forms part of the Esports World Cup's programme in Paris, extending the excitement of the tournament into the heart of the French capital.

Thousands gathered along the iconic boulevard to experience interactive gaming, live exhibition matches and appearances from some of France's biggest names in gaming and entertainment.

The event ran from 3:30pm until 8pm local time, transforming the pedestrianised avenue into an open-air gaming destination. Fans explored interactive gaming stations, community experiences, and live activities designed to make esports accessible to audiences of all ages. Throughout the afternoon, the venue remained packed as spectators moved between activity zones, watched live competitions and interacted with creators and professional players.

The day’s entertainment began with an EA SPORTS FC 26 creator show-match featuring some of France’s best-known online personalities. Television presenter Samuel Étienne later hosted an open-air discussion exploring the continued growth of esports and its increasing place in mainstream media before attention shifted to Trackmania, where content creators went head-to-head in a live exhibition.

Rocket League proved one of the day’s biggest attractions, as creators and professional players competed in front of an enthusiastic crowd. Fans also had the chance to meet some of France’s biggest names in esports, including Kameto, Amine, Bigflo & Oli and Brawks, alongside representatives from Team Vitality, Karmine Corp and Gentle Mates.

One of the day’s biggest highlights came when France became the first nation to unveil its official Esports Nations Cup jersey. Designed in collaboration with adidas, the new kit was revealed on the iconic Champs-Élysées in front of thousands of fans, marking a milestone for both French esports and the wider international scene.

The unveiling represented more than just a new jersey. It symbolised the growing importance of national identity within competitive gaming, as the Esports Nations Cup prepares to bring countries together on the global stage.

”For billions of people around the world, national pride is one of the most powerful connections to sport. The Esports Nations Cup can give them a new way into esports: a team that represents them,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports Foundation.

”To unveil the first national jersey together with adidas, here in France alongside the Esports World Cup, is an incredible and historic moment. There could be no more fitting place than the Champs-Élysées, one of the most iconic stages in the world, to begin this new chapter.”

The Esports Festival brought together creators, professional organisations and gaming communities, while highlighting how competitive gaming continues to reach broader audiences through entertainment, culture and community engagement.

The day’s programme concluded with an announcement from the Esports Foundation regarding developments surrounding the Esports Nations Cup before the Champs-Élysées gradually reopened to regular traffic.

The festival highlighted Paris’ role as host of the 2026 Esports World Cup, which runs until 23 August. More than 2,000 players representing over 200 clubs from more than 100 countries are competing across 25 tournaments in 24 game titles.