Evo announces new tournament destinations coming in 2027, including Saudi Arabia

The FGC has expressed concern about Evo‘s prestige after five new championships were announced on February 23rd, 2026.

Evo is currently considered the biggest fighting game event of the year, with a Vegas victory considered the most prestigious title for most titles. However, Evo is continuing to expand, and the additional championships may dilute the significance of an Evo championship title.

After Saudi Arabian company RTS took full control of Evo, the FGC expressed some concerns with this latest development. In a recent blog post, titled ‘Beginning The Next Evolution,’ the Evolution Championship Series reassured fighting game fans that no ‘policies, brand values, level of investment, format, or expectations’ will be changed at the legacy events in Vegas, Japan and France.

Instead, Evo is hoping to bring that same experience ‘to more players worldwide’ with new destinations and community initiatives. Starting in 2026, Evo will begin offering ‘local support’ to communities by providing equipment and additional solutions to locals.

Then, the following locations will join Vegas, Japan, and France in 2027:

In addition to the new locations, Evo also announced a new championship format, in which players attempt to qualify for the Fighting Game World Championship by placing in Evo events throughout the year.

“We will be working closely with our publisher partners to determine which titles will be included in this format and will have more information for you later this year,” read the press release.

“Additionally, we will be working with the community closely to help identify what modern-day titles and legacy masterpieces should represent the breadth of fighting games in this new tournament, with a focus on competitive, not entertainment selections.”

The Fighting Game World Championship will be held in the United States or Japan, likely meant to replace the Vegas tournament as the biggest fighting game event of the year. Having a championship would mean there is still one major event with plenty of prestige, which may ease some concerns from pros and fans about Evo losing its significance amid continued expansion.

However, the backlash from the FGC has been pretty strong. Many still feel that having so many events still takes away from how special the original Evo felt. The fighting game world has often prided itself on its grassroots feel, but a massive world circuit doesn’t have that same feel for many competitors.