THE EVOLUTION CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES (known as Evo), the world’s largest and longest-running fighting game tournaments, announced a multi-year partnership with Visa, 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.
Evo and Visa will kick off its partnership at its flagship event in Las Vegas on June 26-28, 2026 at the Las Vegas Convention Center with the Friday Night Showdown at Evo Vegas 2026 Presented Break Free By Visa and Evo Flash Tournaments Presented By Visa, along with merchandise discounts to cardholders.
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.
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.
