Written by The Esports World Cup 2025 is the second edition of this annual tournament, which will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
It is hosted by the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) and ESL FACEIT Group, it is an event on the esports calendar that will have a wide range of 25 esports titles from various genres.
The Esports World Cup 2025 features a wide range collection of popular esports games. Some of the games confirmed are:
- Honor of Kings
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
- Call of Duty: Warzone
- Free Fire
- Street Fighter 6
- Dota 2
- Rainbow Six Siege
- PUBG Mobile
- EA Sports FC 25
- Overwatch 2
- Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
- Rocket League
- Chess
- Rennsport
- PUBG Battlegrounds
- Crossfire
- Fatal Fury
- League of Legends
- Teamfight Tactics
- Valorant
- Two titles are yet to be announced.
The tournament is organized into a few weeks, each with various games. Here is a breakdown of the schedule:
- Week 1 (July 7-13): Valorant
- Week 2 (July 14-20): League of Legends
- Week 3 (July 21-27): Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
- Week 4 (July 28 – August 3): Overwatch 2
- Week 5 (August 4-10): EA Sports FC 25
- Week 6 (August 11-17): Rocket League
- Week 7 (August 18-24): Counter-Strike 2.
The overall prize fund for the Esports World Cup 2025 is predicted to cross last year’s target of $60 million. Independent tournaments and their prize pools will be offered in each game. A few prize pools that were announced are:
- Counter-Strike 2: $1,250,000
- Call of Duty Black Ops 6: $1,800,000
- League of Legends: $2,000,000
- Rocket League: $1,000,000
- Overwatch: $1,000,000.
Esports World Cup incorporates a special Club Competition where member organizations gain points and rewards on the basis of performance in every title of game.
Team Falcons became the winners of the Club competition in 2024 and took home $7 million.
The event will feature more than 1,500 players from the world’s best esports clubs. S8UL, an Indian esports club, has been chosen as a Club Partner for the 2025 edition.
The tournament will bring together more than 300 million esports fans globally through its Club Partner Program, featuring 40 of the world’s best esports clubs.
The Riyadh-based Esports World Cup 2025 will be hosted in Boulevard City, Saudi Arabia. It will be organized by the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) and ESL FACEIT Group to provide a professional and fun experience for players and fans alike.
Top 5 Things to Know About the Esports World Cup 2025
1. Location and Hosts
The Esports World Cup 2025 is scheduled to happen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, at Boulevard City. The city provides world-class facilities that can accommodate large esports events.
Two major players in the esports business, the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) and ESL FACEIT Group, have organized the event.
Riyadh has become a hub for the Middle East’s esports scene due to its modern infrastructure and Saudi government initiatives promoting esports as a premier sport.
The city has played host to numerous esports events over the past few years, proving that it is capable of handling large crowds and offering a top-notch experience for players and viewers alike.
Boulevard City is a lively district in Riyadh that is popular for entertainment and recreational activities. It has a lively atmosphere that can handle high volumes of people and give a rich experience to visitors.
The complex is supported by technology and facilities required to host an international-level esports event such as the Esports World Cup.
The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) is committed to the development of esports worldwide through the promotion of the Esports World Cup.
The EWCF is committed to bringing esports enthusiasts from all over the world together and creating a platform for professional gamers to compete at the international level.
ESL FACEIT Group is an esports consulting firm that has been famous for hosting a few of the prestigious esports competitions in the world. They possess an experience in handling large-sized events, so they will carry out the Esports World Cup 2025 with excellent professionalism.
Also Read: Top 5 Esports News Stories from March 10-16, 2025
2. Games and Schedule
The Esports World Cup 2025 has a strong lineup of 25 esports games, cutting across various genres. The tournament is organized in a series of weeks, with each week covering various games so that the interest levels for participants as well as audiences are maintained throughout.
Confirmed Games:
- Honor of Kings: A mobile multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game.
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6: A first-person shooter (FPS) game known for its multiplayer mode.
- League of Legends: A PC-based MOBA that is one of the most popular esports games globally.
- Valorant: A tactical FPS game that has gained popularity in the esports scene.
- Overwatch 2: A team-based FPS game with a strong competitive scene.
- Street Fighter 6: A fighting game that continues the legacy of the Street Fighter series.
- Dota 2: A PC-based MOBA known for its large prize pools and tournaments.
- Rainbow Six Siege: A tactical FPS game with a esports community.
- PUBG Mobile: A mobile battle royale game popular in Asia and other regions.
- EA Sports FC 25: The latest iteration of the FIFA series, now rebranded as EA Sports FC.
- Mobile Legends: Bang Bang: A mobile MOBA popular in Southeast Asia.
- Rocket League: A physics-based sports game that combines soccer with high-speed cars.
- Chess: A classic board game that has seen a resurgence in online competitions.
- Rennsport: A racing game that offers realistic driving experiences.
- PUBG Battlegrounds: The PC version of the popular battle royale game.
- Crossfire: A tactical FPS game with a strong following in Asia.
- Fatal Fury: A classic fighting game series.
- Teamfight Tactics: A strategy game set in the League of Legends universe.
- Valorant: Already mentioned, but it’s a key title in the tournament.
Two additional titles are yet to be announced.
Schedule:
- Week 1 (July 7-13): Valorant
- Week 2 (July 14-20): League of Legends
- Week 3 (July 21-27): Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
- Week 4 (July 28 – August 3): Overwatch 2
- Week 5 (August 4-10): EA Sports FC 25
- Week 6 (August 11-17): Rocket League
- Week 7 (August 18-24): Counter-Strike 2 (Note: This might be subject to change as Counter-Strike 2 was not explicitly confirmed in initial announcements).
3. Prize Pool
The Esports World Cup 2025 is likely to have a large prize pool. Although the overall collective prize pool for all games has yet to be officially revealed, it is estimated to surpass the $60 million mark of last year.
Individual Game Prize Pools:
- League of Legends: $2 million
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6: $1.8 million
- Rocket League: $1 million
- Overwatch 2: $1 million
- Valorant: Valorant’s prize pool has not been officially declared but should be quite high considering its popularity.
Apart from personal game awards, the Esports World Cup has a Club Competition where the participating organizations gain points depending on their performance in all the game titles.
The Club Competition has an independent prize pool, which was $7 million last year. This format promotes teams to perform well in several games.
4. Club Partner Program
The Club Partner Program is an important program that the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has introduced to sustainable development and worldwide fan support in esports.
It entails collaborating with leading esports clubs globally, supporting them financially, and offering them resources to improve their global presence.
The program consists of 40 leading esports clubs globally. The clubs are chosen on the basis of their performance, popularity, and dedication to the esports community.
The EWCF has provided a huge budget for the Club Partner Program, with a reported $20 million spent on backing the clubs. The financial support assists clubs in spending money on talent acquisition, team building, and marketing campaigns.
The campaign is looking to bring together more than 300 million esports enthusiasts globally through the promotion of the participating clubs as well as their followers by creating a sense of community among them. This is done through different marketing activities, social media, and original content creation.
S8UL, an Indian gaming organization, was chosen as a Club Partner for the 2025 season. This is an important step in Indian esports since it provides worldwide recognition and a chance to expand in the area.
Through offering financial assistance, the program guarantees the long-term viability of taking part clubs to keep competitive rosters and put money into the future.
The program increases the international exposure of partner clubs, enabling them to grow their fan base and connect with new viewers around the globe.
The program helps the ecosystem grow as a whole by encouraging proper competition, innovation, and fan interaction.
5. Global Impact and Participation
The Esports World Cup 2025 has the potential to make an impact worldwide as it gathers more than 1,500 athletes from leading esports clubs across the globe. It has the promise of bringing over 300 million esports fans from all around the world together.
Global Participation:
The championship will see participation from 1,500 athletes, each best from across the globe. Professional gamers from around the globe would be present to compete in their respective games.
The competition features attendance from 40 leading esports clubs, picked for their overall performance and impact in the world of esports.
All these clubs will compete in a series of game titles, indicating their ability to play multiple game titles.
The Esports World Cup 2025 focuses on creating a platform that encompasses teams representing various regions, such as Asia, Europe, North America, and South America.
S8UL’s Participation:
S8UL, an Indian esports team, being chosen as a Club Partner is a milestone for Indian esports. It is a testament to the increasing presence of Indian teams in the international esports arena.
S8UL’s inclusion will bring more international exposure to Indian esports, which could lead to greater international attention and opportunities for Indian players and teams.
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