Aya Nakamura, DJ Snake, and Theodora to Open the Esports World Cup 2026 in Paris

The Esports Foundation (EF) today announced Aya Nakamura, DJ Snake, and Theodora as the headline performers for the Opening Ceremony of the Esports World Cup 2026 (EWC), taking place in Paris at La Seine Musicale on July 8.

The performance will kick off the inaugural international edition of the world’s largest esports and gaming event, celebrating contemporary French culture shaped by live-streaming platforms, creator-generated content, online communities, and live experiences. As gaming, music, creators, streaming, and live experiences increasingly shape the same cultural spaces, EWC 2026 will open in Paris with a performance that celebrates contemporary French culture while reflecting the global, digital-first audience at the heart of esports.

“The Opening Ceremony is our chance to welcome the world to the Esports World Cup,” said Mike McCabe, Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer at the Esports Foundation. “As we bring EWC 2026 to Paris for the first time, we wanted to celebrate the city through artists who have helped shape music and culture in France today. Aya Nakamura, DJ Snake, and Theodora each represent something different, but together they reflect the creativity and influence that make Paris such a special place to host this event.”

Aya Nakamura, or ‘The Queen of France’, has become one of the most influential French artists of her generation, building a global following through a distinctive combination of R&B, Afrobeats, zouk, and contemporary French pop. From the success of Djadja to her appearance at the Paris Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, her music made her a defining voice of a multicultural and internationally connected France, and started a conversation about the country’s contemporary identity.

DJ Snake represents France’s global cultural reach. Raised in the Paris suburbs, he is one of the world’s most successful DJs and producers. His career spans electronic music, hip-hop, and pop, drawing from a wide range of global musical influences, spanning North American hip-hop, Latin music, K-pop, Middle Eastern and African sounds, and underground club culture. From Paris to international festival stages, he has built a worldwide following that embodies the same global connective power as gaming.

Theodora, or ‘Miss Kitoko” now, has emerged as one of the breakout artists of a new generation. Blending rap, pop, and club music with the language and aesthetics of online culture, she represents the next generation stepping forward: digitally native, culturally fearless, and closely connected to communities defined by streaming and online creators.

The announcement follows last year’s sold-out Opening Ceremony in Riyadh, headlined by Post Malone alongside DINO of SEVENTEEN, Duckwrth, Telle Smith of The Word Alive, Alesso, and Tina Guo. This year, Aya Nakamura, DJ Snake, and Theodora will open EWC’s first international edition in Paris.

The Esports World Cup 2026 will be held in Paris, France, from July 6 through August 23, marking the first international edition of the competition. More than 2,000 players and 200 Clubs from over 100 countries will compete across 25 tournaments in 24 games for a record prize pool of $75+ million.