The Esports World Cup is back for its second year, running from July 8 to August 24, 2025. This massive global event will feature 25 competitive games including top titles like League of Legends, VALORANT, CS2, and Dota 2. With a record-breaking prize pool of 70 million dollars and over 2,000 players from 200+ clubs, this is the biggest esports tournament ever.

Hosted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the event is organized by the Esports World Cup Foundation, supported by the Saudi government and ESL FACEIT Group. It aims to make Saudi Arabia a global leader in esports and gaming. Last year’s event launched with 22 games and a 62.5 million dollar prize pool, but this year takes it even further with more titles and bigger rewards.

The tournament features individual competitions for each game and uses a points system to crown the top club. Teams earn points based on their performance, and the club with the most points wins the overall championship and a 7 million dollar prize. Think of it like the Olympics, but for competitive video games.

Teams need to perform well in at least two different games to qualify for the top ranks. Last year, Team Falcons dominated by winning several titles and collecting over 5,000 points. This year, 40 organizations including T1, G2 Esports, Team Liquid, and FaZe Clan will compete, making it a truly global showdown.

Which Games Are Included This Year?

There are 25 games in total this year. Some like Call of Duty: MW3 and Fortnite are not returning, but new entries like Chess, VALORANT, CrossFire, and FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves are added. Here’s the full list of featured titles:

  • Apex Legends

  • Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

  • Call of Duty: Warzone

  • Chess

  • Counter-Strike 2

  • CrossFire

  • Dota 2

  • EA Sports FC

  • FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves

  • Free Fire

  • Honor of Kings

  • League of Legends

  • Mobile Legends: Bang Bang

  • Overwatch 2

  • PUBG: Mobile

  • PUBG: Battlegrounds

  • Rainbow Six Siege

  • Rennsport

  • Rocket League

  • StarCraft II

  • Street Fighter 6

  • TeamFight Tactics

  • Tekken 8

  • VALORANT

Mobile Legends will also have two separate tournaments – the Mid-Season Cup and the Women’s Invitational, making it the only title to do so. The women’s event drew a huge audience last year and is expected to be even bigger this year.

Event Schedule: Key Dates to Remember

The event will run for seven weeks across four main venues in Riyadh. Here’s a breakdown of major games and when they’ll be played:

  • Dota 2: July 8 to 19

  • VALORANT: July 8 to 13

  • League of Legends: July 16 to 20

  • PUBG Mobile: July 25 to August 3

  • Rainbow Six Siege: August 5 to 9

  • Counter-Strike 2: August 20 to 24

  • And many more titles are spread across the eight weeks

All matches will be streamed live on the official Esports World Cup Twitch and YouTube channels. Fans can also catch up with match replays and highlights afterward.

Prize Pool and How It’s Divided

The total prize money for EWC 2025 is a huge 70 million dollars. This is split across different areas:

  • Club Championship: 27 million dollars

  • Individual Game Tournaments: 38 million dollars

  • MVP Awards: 450,000 dollars

  • Road to EWC Qualifiers: 5 million dollars

Each game has its own prize pool. For example:

  • Dota 2: 3 million

  • League of Legends: 2 million

  • VALORANT: 1.25 million

  • Apex Legends: 2 million

  • PUBG Mobile: 3 million

  • Tekken 8: 1 million

  • Mobile Legends Women’s Invitational: 500,000

  • And many others fall in the 1 to 2 million dollar range

Last Year’s Winners

In 2024, Team Falcons won the overall Club Championship with 5,665 points, thanks to wins in Warzone and Free Fire. Team Liquid came in second, and Team BDS followed in third. These results show how key it is to compete and win in multiple titles.

Some other major winners last year were:

  • T1 won League of Legends

  • Alpha7 Esports won PUBG Mobile

  • Alliance won Apex Legends

  • Gaimin Gladiators won Dota 2

  • Team BDS won Rocket League and Rainbow Six

Conclusion

Even though this is only the second year of the Esports World Cup, it has already become one of the most exciting and prestigious events in the world of gaming. With millions of dollars on the line and the best players in the world competing, EWC 2025 is shaping up to be the esports version of the Olympics. Whether you’re a fan of strategy, shooters, or fighters, there’s something for everyone this summer.

 

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