Esports World Cup sets up player support space in Paris — Rolling Stone
At the Esports World Cup in Paris, organizers have set up a dedicated space for competitors to rest and receive support. Professional esports players are offered meals, physiotherapy, massages, quiet rooms, as well as areas for playing billiards, table tennis and darts, Rolling Stone reports.
Hans Jagnow is responsible for working with clubs, national teams and players at the Esports Foundation. He told the publication that the main goal of this approach is to help participants feel safe, focus on their performances and maintain their physical condition during the tournament.
Rest between matches
The players’ lounge has private chefs and baristas, sofas and daybeds, as well as rooms for taking a break from the noise of the competition venue. The organizers have also opened a barbershop and offer manicures and pedicures.
Jagnow noted that professional players can spend several hours on stage, particularly during finals. He named frequent flights as a separate challenge: according to him, some leading esports players in disciplines such as Counter-Strike travel for up to 270 days a year. They have to adapt to changing time zones while combining training, media days and tournament participation.
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Program for champions
The Esports Foundation is also developing the Heroes Club program for winners of Esports World Cup tournaments. A player who wins an EWC title once receives “hero” status, while after three victories they receive “legend” status with lifetime membership in the program. In 2026, the first such participant was Moroccan-Canadian player Sami “dralii” Hajji, who won Rocket League three times in a row while playing for Team BDS, Karmine Corp and Team Falcons.
Heroes Club participants can gain access to partner and sponsor events, including VIP areas at sporting events. According to Jagnow, the program is intended to create opportunities for esports players to make new professional connections.
The Esports World Cup tournament at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles is scheduled to last seven weeks and includes 24 separate competitions as part of the club championship.
