Why is Cristiano Ronaldo the face of the Esports World Cup?

So why has he now become the face of the Esports World Cup?
 

The answer goes far beyond a marketing campaign.

Ronaldo is the Esports World Cup's global ambassador

Cristiano Ronaldo was appointed Global Ambassador of the Esports World Cup ahead of the 2025 tournament and has returned in the role for the 2026 edition. His job is to help introduce competitive gaming to a wider audience and reinforce the Esports World Cup as one of the world's biggest sporting events.

As one of the most-followed person globally on social media and one of the most marketable athletes in history, Ronaldo brings unprecedented global reach to esports.

His involvement reflects the tournament's ambition to sit alongside the biggest events in traditional sport rather than exist purely within gaming culture.

Why Ronaldo?

The Esports World Cup is no longer simply a collection of gaming tournaments.

The 2026 edition features more than 2,000 players representing over 200 clubs from more than 100 countries across seven weeks of competition, with a record prize pool of more than $75 million.

Those are numbers normally associated with major international sporting events.

Ronaldo's career has been defined by performing on the biggest stages under the greatest pressure, making him a natural figurehead for an event looking to position esports alongside football, Formula 1 and tennis as global entertainment.

A growing relationship with esports

Ronaldo's involvement with the Esports World Cup is not a one-off appearance.

He first became the tournament's Global Ambassador in 2025 before extending the partnership into 2026, underlining the long-term relationship between the football legend and the competition.

His appointment also follows a wider trend of elite athletes investing in or promoting esports and gaming, helping bridge the gap between traditional sports fans and competitive gaming.

Who else is involved?

Ronaldo is not the only sporting icon attached to the Esports World Cup.

Chess legend Magnus Carlsen serves as the tournament's chess ambassador following the addition of chess to the event, while many of the world's biggest esports organisations and players compete across 24 games during the seven-week festival

Watch the Esports World Cup live and for free on DAZN

The Esports World Cup 2026 is available to watch live and for free on DAZN throughout the tournament.

Fans can stream every tournament on the DAZN app across a wide range of devices, including smart TVs, smartphones, tablets and gaming consoles, or watch through any web browser at DAZN.com.

Coverage is available globally, excluding China, South Korea, the CIS region, Ukraine, Malaysia, Hungary and Finland. Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 are also unavailable in Peru.

To watch live follow these steps:

1. Download the DAZN app on your preferred device or visit DAZN.com.
2. Sign up for a free DAZN account, or log in if you already have one.
3. Search for Esports World Cup or browse the esports section.
4. Select the tournament you want to watch and start streaming live.