How R2 Stand Rose to the Enormous Challenge of the 2026 Esports World Cup in Paris at Porte de Versailles

The Esports World Cup (EWC 2026) is one of the world’s largest competitive video game tournaments. Originally planned for Saudi Arabia, the event ultimately took place at Paris Porte de Versailles.

To bring this vision to life in the heart of the French capital, Balich Wonder Studio and the organizers called on the expertise of R2 Stand.

Here’s a look back at a spectacular feat of set design and logistics pulled off in record time.

1. The Need: 700 m² of customized, repurposed immersive spaces

The project entrusted to R2 Stand involved the overall design of 700 m² of booths in the heart of the exhibition hall, divided into three strategic areas with distinct identities:

• The Publisher House (300 m²): the event’s largest space, dedicated to major video game publishers to promote their flagship titles.
• The Community House (200 m²): a bright, interactive area designed to host fan events, free-to-play games, and community gatherings.
• The Clubs House (150 m²): modeled after the official stores of major sports clubs (such as PSG or OM), allowing esports teams to showcase their merchandise and meet their fans.

The real creative challenge was to take concepts and designs originally conceived for Saudi facilities and completely adapt them to the technical, regulatory, and spatial constraints of the Paris Porte de Versailles venue.

2. The Challenges: Extreme Deadlines, Modularity, and Last-Minute Setbacks

Working in the video game and event industries demands absolute responsiveness. R2 Stand had to navigate three major challenges:

An extremely tight timeline: less than 4 weeks

Between the initial client contact and opening day, R2 Stand had less than a month to design, manufacture, and install the entire 700 m².

On-site assembly had to be completed in just 1 week, following 3 weeks of pre-production (plan approval, component preparation, etc.)

A dynamic and evolving design

Since the event spanned several weeks over the summer, the booths could not remain static: each week, the Publisher House and the Club House completely changed their signage, branding, and decor to highlight new games (e.g., League of Legends, Valorant…) and new esports teams.

The addition of a monumental arch during the project

After two weeks of production, a new urgent need arose: to design a monumental entrance arch measuring 12 meters long by 6 meters high.

R2 Stand rose to the designer’s challenge and produced the booth in just 10 days to welcome visitors right from the opening.

3. The R2 Stand Solution: A 50-Person Task Force and Millimeter-Level Precision

To meet such tight deadlines without compromising on the quality of execution, R2 Stand implemented a rigorous methodology:

1. Mobilization of a dedicated task force: coordination of nearly 50 people on-site (R2 Stand teams, client designers, technicians, and installers).
2. Hour-by-hour planning: in a project where even the slightest scheduling error is critical, each step was broken down and finalized in advance with the design and production teams.
3. Synergy and agility: close and highly responsive collaboration with the client’s creative teams to validate technical adjustments in real time.

4. The result: total immersion in the heart of esports culture

On D-Day, the 700 m² of booths and the monumental arch were 100% operational.

Visually, the result perfectly meets the standards of the video game industry: high-tech structures, integrated lighting and LED neon displays, bold blocks of vibrant color, and impactful branding that was updated every week without a hitch.

“In our line of work, we often say that we always manage to pull it off. This project is concrete proof of that: our teams’ ability to adapt to the unexpected and deliver 700 m² in record time, thanks to the trust of our partners.”

Cédric, Project Manager at R2 Stand

The project in a few figures