The Esports World Cup 2025 is officially underway in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, running from July 8 to August 24. Organized by the Esports World Cup Foundation and ESL FACEIT Group, this is the second edition of the tournament following the rebranding of Gamers8—and it’s already shaping up to be the biggest esports event ever.
This year’s event features 25 tournaments across 24 games, drawing in over 2,000 top players and more than 200 global esports clubs. One of the key features is the Club Championship, where organizations compete across multiple games to earn points toward a massive $27 million prize pool—with $7 million reserved for the top club. Altogether, the total prize pool tops $70 million, setting a new industry record.
The event blends competition with entertainment. The opening ceremony included performances from Post Malone, Alesso, and DINO of SEVENTEEN, and global icon Cristiano Ronaldo made an appearance as the event’s brand ambassador. Coverage of the tournament spans over 7,000 broadcast hours in 35 languages, across 140+ countries, and includes a behind-the-scenes docuseries called EWC Spotlight.
New titles have joined the roster this year, including Valorant, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, CrossFire, and online Chess—the latter featuring legendary players like Magnus Carlsen. Fan favorites such as Dota 2, Counter-Strike 2, EA Sports FC 25, and Street Fighter 6 return, with each game having its own qualification path before leading to the finals in Riyadh.
The Esports World Cup also plays a role in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy, aimed at transforming the country into a global gaming hub. However, it hasn’t come without criticism, as human rights groups point to the tournament as part of a broader “sportswashing” campaign linked to government-led investments.
