Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: Bigo Live is strengthening its presence in the regional gaming community by serving as an official content partner for the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026, giving fans across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) new ways to experience the world’s biggest esports tournament through interactive livestreams, creator-led watch parties, and exclusive in-app activities.
The Esports World Cup 2026, currently underway in Riyadh, has brought together more than 2,000 professional players representing over 200 clubs from more than 100 countries. Featuring a record prize pool of USD 75 million, the seven-week tournament has become one of the largest competitive gaming events ever staged, attracting millions of viewers worldwide.
As part of its partnership, Bigo Live is transforming the viewing experience by combining live tournament coverage with community interaction. Rather than simply broadcasting matches, the platform allows fans to engage with creators, participate in live discussions, make match predictions, and enjoy exclusive tournament-themed rewards throughout the competition.
The initiative comes at a time when esports and interactive entertainment continue to grow rapidly across the MENA region. The recent Dubai Esports and Games Festival, which welcomed more than 43,000 visitors during its largest edition, highlighted the increasing popularity of competitive gaming among regional audiences. Building on this momentum, Bigo Live is focusing on some of the region’s most popular mobile esports titles, including Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB), Honor of Kings, and PUBG Mobile.
“We are proud to serve as an official content partner for the Esports World Cup 2026, an event that sets a new standard for competitive gaming,” said Khaldoun Mahmoud, Government Relations Director for the Middle East and North Africa at BIGO Technology.
“Our goal is to make esports viewing a truly interactive and communal experience. By bringing world-class tournament action to Bigo Live, we are empowering regional creators, celebrating the passion of MENA’s gaming communities, and demonstrating our continued commitment to the future of digital entertainment.”
To ensure fans stay connected throughout the tournament, Bigo Live has introduced dedicated event pages, premium in-app placements, opening screen promotions, match schedules, and timely notifications that help users discover live matches and key tournament moments.
The platform is also hosting creator-led Special Streams and Watch Parties, where multilingual hosts provide live reactions, commentary, and discussions during major matches. Interactive features such as tournament predictions, community conversations, themed giveaways, and customised entrance effects further encourage fans to participate beyond simply watching the games.
Bigo Live is extending its Esports World Cup coverage beyond the app through coordinated social media campaigns, sharing content around major tournament milestones and ceremonies to keep regional audiences engaged throughout the competition.
Several headline tournaments remain on the Esports World Cup calendar. The Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Mid Season Cup (MSC) continues until 1 August, followed by the Honor of Kings World Cup from 30 July to 8 August and the PUBG Mobile World Cup from 6 to 16 August. The tournament will conclude with the Closing Ceremony on 23 August.
Through its official partnership, Bigo Live aims to create a more immersive esports experience where fans can watch live competitions, interact with creators, support their favourite teams, and become active participants in one of the world’s biggest celebrations of competitive gaming.
