Partnership enhances fan experiences, expands access, and enables seamless, global participation—online and on the ground
LOS ANGELES, June 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Evolution Championship Series (known as Evo), the world’s largest and longest-running fighting game tournaments, announced a multi-year partnership with Visa (NYSE: V), a world leader in digital payments, to elevate the experience at its global events through early 2028. Evo and Visa will work together to deepen the connection with the game community and help shape cultural moments, while enabling effortless, cross-border commerce.
The partnership debuts at Evo Las Vegas (June 26–28, 2026), with new experiences designed to bring the community closer together, including:
- Friday Night Showdown at Evo Vegas 2026 Presented Break Free By Visa
- An exhibition match featuring content creators Tyler “Tyler1” Steinkamp, the first player to reach the highest “Challenger” rank in all five distinct gameplay roles within League of Legends, and Ludwig “Ludwig” Ahgren, a YouTuber, live streamer, and digital entrepreneur, who will face off in Street Fighter 6 on the main stage at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
- Evo Flash Tournaments Presented By Visa
- All-new pick-up brackets running hourly throughout Evo 2026, and they’re open to everyone attending onsite. Whether you’re a registered competitor or a casual fan in attendance, you can join any single elimination bracket that anyone can enter on the spot. Just show up with a controller, sign in, and play as many times as you want all weekend long. The more you compete, the more you can win — and if you’re concerned about those bracket sharks, you don’t need to win your entire bracket to win prizes.
- Evo Merchandise Discounts For Visa Cardholders onsite.
Visa champions the moments that bring fans closer to the passions they love, from gaming, sports and music to fashion and entertainment. Guided by a fan-first approach to partnerships, Visa designs experiences that deepen connection and make participation seamless and accessible for gamers around the world. Through high-impact partnerships like Evo, Visa helps shape cultural moments while enabling effortless, cross-border commerce.
Beginning in 2027, the partnership will also support grassroots growth through community-focused initiatives that reinvest back into the ecosystem, helping emerging players and local tournaments thrive.
“Gaming has become one of the most powerful ways people connect, compete and build community around the world, and our partnership with Evo puts Visa at the center of that experience,” said Frank Cooper III, Chief Marketing Officer at Visa. “Evo represents the passion, inclusivity and global reach that make gaming such a meaningful cultural force today. Together, Visa and Evo will create opportunities that elevate the fan experience, support the global gaming community, and bring participants closer to the action both in-person and online.”
“It’s incredibly exciting to have the Visa brand join the fighting game community in our commitment to deliver unforgettable experiences at our Evo events,” said Stuart Saw, CEO of RTS, who owns and operates Evo. “Our team will help bring Visa into our event in a way that feels natural and offers real value to our competitors and fans globally.”
Evo Las Vegas will feature an expanded 12 titles, with a fresh mix of legendary and emerging games. New in 2026, the six games with the most registered competitors will be featured in the Arena Finals, while the remaining titles will enjoy all the pomp and circumstance on the Showcase Stage. As the largest open tournament in the world, Evo Las Vegas will have a minimum guaranteed prize pool of $500,000 across all titles.
Evo will also feature many fan favorites, including the Evo Museum and the debut of a statue and collectibles exhibit, expanded cosplay contests, Anime Alley, Evo Arcade, and the Evo Showcase with industry-leading panels and keynote speakers. Fans can purchase tickets at https://evo.gg/events/evo2026.
Later this fall, Evo France returns to Europe at the Palais des Expos in Nice, France, on October 9 -11.
About Evo
Established in 2002 The Evolution Championship Series (Evo) represents the fighting game community and largest and longest-running fighting game tournaments. Evo brings together the best of the best from around the world with events in the U.S., Japan, and France (and soon-to-be Singapore in 2027) in an electric showcase of skill and fun, as players and fans gather to honor the competitive spirit in an open bracket format that reveals the world’s strongest fighting game players. Evo is owned and operated by RTS.
About Visa
Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com.
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SOURCE The Evolution Championship Series (Evo)
