The Esports World Cup returns to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 7 to August 24, 2025, with the largest prize pool in esports history — over $70 million (SR262,785,040.00). Ticket sales for this highly anticipated event are now open. The event is organized by the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF). Following the success of the first 2024 edition, the second edition reinforces EWCF's position as the world's premier platform for the growth and development of the esports industry. This prize money represents an increase of $10 million / (SR37,540,720.00) compared to last year and underscores the foundation's long-standing commitment to creating sustainable career paths for gamers and supporting the development of multidisciplinary esports clubs. Ralf Reichert, CEO of the EWCF, said: "This record-breaking prize and our continued investments through our club partnership program and collaborations with publishers underscore our mission to provide long-term stability and opportunities within the ecosystem. While the $70+ million figure is impressive, our goal goes beyond numbers – we are building a strong and solid foundation for the future for everyone." 25 Tournaments, 24 Games, and Over 2,000 Players EWC 2025 will feature a total of 25 tournaments across 24 different games, with over 2,000 elite players and 200 leading clubs participating, in the largest multi-sport competition in esports history. Four new games have been added to the roster: Chess, Crossfire, FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves, and VALORANT. The unique EWC Club Championship will allocate $27 million / ( SR101,359,944.00) of the total prize pool to the top 16 clubs based on their overall performance. The top club will win $7 million / (SR26,278,504.00). The remaining prize pool will be distributed among the gaming tournaments, with a total prize pool of over $38 million / (SR142,654,736.00), the MVP prize pool worth $450,000 / (SR1,689,332.40), and the Road to EWC qualifiers worth over $5 million (SR18,770,360.00), giving players and teams multiple opportunities to win and advance. The 2024 edition saw over 500 million online viewers and 2.6 million physical visitors to Boulevard City. Team Falcons excelled, winning the Club Championship with 5,665 points, ahead of Team Liquid and Team BDS. Mosaad Al-Dossary, CEO of Team Falcons, said: "Winning our first title in front of our fans was unforgettable. The energy inside the arenas was unparalleled. That victory gave us momentum, and we are ready to build on it in 2025." Steve Arhancet, Co-CEO of Team Liquid, added: "EWC 2024 was one of the most successful years in our competitive history. The wins helped us expand into new games like Chess, strengthen our presence in Southeast Asia, and support charitable initiatives. EWC 2025 could be our golden moment." The current lineup of EWC 2025 games includes: Apex Legends, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Call of Duty: Warzone, Chess, Counter-Strike 2, Crossfire, Dota 2, EA Sports FC 25, FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves, Free Fire, Honor of Kings, League of Legends, Mobile Legends Bang Bang, Overwatch 2, PUBG BATTLEGROUNDS, PUBG Mobile, Rainbow Six Siege X, Rennsport, Rocket League, Starcraft II, Rennsport, Tekken 8, Street Fighter 6, Teamfight Tactics, and VALORANT. The EWCF has also announced expanded partnerships with major publishers such as Riot Games, Activision, and Capcom to support external tournaments and strengthen the global esports ecosystem. These partnerships will provide new ways for players to access the World Cup through official, sanctioned tournaments. The EWCF Club Partner Program has expanded to 40 teams. The EWCF Club Partner Program, designed to support clubs with the resources needed to enhance their global presence, now includes 40 leading organizations, including: 100 Thieves, All Gamers, Bilibili Gaming, Cloud9, Edward Gaming, EVOS, FaZe Clan, Fnatic, FURIA, G2 Esports, Gaimin Gladiators, Gen.G, Gentle Mates, HEROIC, JD Gaming, Karmine Corp., Movistar KOI, LEVIATAN, LOUD, MOUZ, NAVI, NIP.eStar, ONIC, POWR, REJECT, S8UL, Sentinels, T1, Team BDS, Team Falcons, Team Liquid, Team RRQ, Team Secret, Team Spirit, Team Vitality, Twisted Minds, Virtus.pro, Weibo Gaming, Wolves Esports, and ZETA DIVISION. The New Global Sport Conference Returns In parallel with the competitions, The New Global Sport Conference will return to Riyadh on August 23 and 24, 2025, during the closing weekend of the EWC. The event will bring together 1,500 global leaders in esports, gaming, traditional sports, entertainment, and technology to discuss the future of sports and innovation internationally. This East-West event aims to accelerate global collaboration within the sector. For more details: esportsworldcup.com newglobalsportconference.com
