RIYADH: The Esports World Cup kicks off in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Thursday as the world’s largest esports and gaming festival comes to Riyadh.
Running until August 24, the event features more than 2,000 elite players, 25 tournaments across 24 leading titles, and a record-breaking prize pool of over $70 million, cementing its status as the biggest and most significant esports event ever staged.
The event will bring together the world’s top 200 clubs to compete in a new format.
At the heart of the competition is the Club Championship, where teams accumulate points across multiple games to become the EWC Club Champion, claim a $7 million grand prize and hoist the coveted EWC Club Championship trophy.
The $70+ million prize pool also includes $38+ million for individual Game Championships, $5 million in global qualifier rewards, and $450,000 in MVP bonuses.
Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan, the chairman of the Saudi Esports Federation, praised the Saudi leadership for their support and said: “The Kingdom is cementing its position as a global leader in gaming and esports. The Esports World Cup is a clear reflection of that progress.”
The event, run by the Esport World Cup Foundation, was first held in Riyadh last year with a purse of $62.5 million.
The team competition was won by Team Falcons, a Saudi esports team, in 2024.
“This event stands as a global milestone for esports by showcasing the scale, ambition, and future of competitive gaming,” Prince Faisal said. “It is a moment that will shape the direction of the industry for years to come.”
Faisal bin Homran, chief product officer of Esports World Cup Foundation, added: “The Esports World Cup is redefining what’s possible in esports. It brings together the world’s top teams to compete in the most iconic and advanced arenas, delivering a level of excitement that is unmatched across the industry.