Esports World Cup reveals Fortnite Reload Elite Series Championship details

The Esports World Cup has shared details for the upcoming Fortnite Reload Elite Series Championship taking place as part of the multi-title esports event.

Taking place from August 19th to 22nd, 40 duos will compete for a share of its $1m (~£736,000) prize pool.

Revealed on February 5th, the Esports World Cup Foundation has outlined a range of regulations on how the performance of layes will contribute to the Esports World Cup’s Club Championship. Each Club can field a single duo for the duration of the tournament, with the points earned contributing to the Club Championship standings.

If multiple players from one club qualify for the main event, the duo that qualifies first is eligible to represent the club. Other players affiliated with that Club can compete at the tournament, but aren’t allowed to represent it.

The 40 teams are determined through the Reload Elite Series qualifiers, with slots open to Europe, North America Central, North America West, Asia, the Middle East, Brazil, and Oceania. The 40 teams are split into two groups of 20 and will compete in eight maps.

The top seven duos from each group will advance to the Match Point Finals, while the remaining teams move on to the Survival stage. Six teams from the Survival stage advance to the finals, where the last 20 teams battle to be crowned champion.

2026’s Esports World Cup is the second time that Fortnite has featured at the event. In 2024, the battle royale title hosted a tournament using the ESL Featuring Fortnite mode, with XSET securing $400,000 (~£294,646) in prize money.

2025’s event didn’t feature Fortnite, with Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, claiming that the title lacked the competitive tools and a sizeable competitive ecosystem.

Fortnite’s esports scene continues to grow, and its presence at the Esports World Cup adds another high-profile event alongside the FNCS Global Championship and Mid-Season tournament.