The Overwatch League plans to add franchises in Paris, France, and Guangzhou, China for Season 2, according to a report by ESPN published Thursday.


If the report is confirmed, Paris would become the second European team to join the Overwatch League alongside the London Spitfire. The slot would be owned by McCourt Global, the LA-based holding company that also owns French soccer team Olympique de Marseille. This would also make it the third non-American team with ownership based in the USA.

The Guangzhou slot, meanwhile, would be purchased by the Nenking Group, the umbrella company of Chinese billionaire Zhong Naixiong and the ownership group of the Chinese Basketball Association team, the Guangzhou Long-Lions.


The league anticipates selling six expansion slots within the next month, with a focus outside the United States. Currently, 9 of the 12 teams are located within the USA. Expansion slots are expected to sell for a range of $30 to 60 million, according to a June ESPN report, up from $20 million in Season 1.


The Overwatch League is set to wrap up its inaugural season in a grand final between the London Spitfire and the Philadelphia Fusion after a pair of upsets. The teams will play Friday and Saturday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.


Photo courtesy of Blizzard