Evo 2026 Preview: Smaller Field, Expanded Lineup and 2KXO’s Debut

Evo 2026 runs from Friday, June 26 to Sunday, June 28 in Las Vegas and will stream across 10 Twitch channels. The tournament’s lineup has expanded to 12 games, including Riot Games’ 2KXO. This is the first U.S. Evo since the series was acquired by the Saudi Arabian government, and organizers say the change in ownership, plus the wider economic and logistical challenges of hosting a major international event in the U.S., have had an impact.

Registration is down sharply: last year saw 8,541 competitors and this year there are 5,774, a drop of over 30 percent. Street Fighter 6 entries, which closed out the show in 2025 with 4,228 competitors, have nearly been cut in half. Contributing factors include U.S.

travel and visa hurdles for international players, the expansion of Evo qualifying events to France and Singapore, rising travel and lodging costs, and backlash over the new ownership that has led at least two high-profile commentators to step away.

United States, Las Vegas

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