Esports World Cup 2025 Kicks Off in Riyadh With Record Breaking Prize Pool, International Superstars and Global Broadcast

In July 2025, the Esports World Cup® made its grand return to Riyadh with a history-making prize pool and star-studded launch, broadcasting across a global network. The seven-week, multi-title tournament kicks off from July 8 to August 24, 2025, held live from venues across Saudi Arabia’s capital—including a sold-out Opening Ceremony headlined by global music icon Post Malone—and is streamed without commercial interruption across platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and official publisher channels.

The 2025 edition, produced by the Esports World Cup Foundation in partnership with ESL FACEIT, Done+Dusted, and other broadcast collaborators, was elevated by new ambassadorial additions, most notably soccer legend Cristiano Ronaldo, who brought superstar prestige to the world’s largest-ever cross‑game esports festival.

This year’s event reflects an amplified creative and competitive vision, fulfilling a mission to unite elite players, esports clubs, and global audiences in a spectacle powered by diversity, innovation, and scale:

This year's prize pool was a record‑shattering $70 million+, with $27 million earmarked for the unique Club Championship, $38 million for individual Game Championships, $5 million+ for global qualifiers, and $450,000 reserved for MVP bonuses.

We scaled up, featuring 26 tournaments across 25 esports and drawing 2,000+ elite players and 200+ top esports clubs from around the world.

New games joined this year's line-up, including, Chess, Crossfire, FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves, and VALORANT, expanding the field’s diversity and competitive depth.

The Esports World Cup® proudly delivered this signature esports gathering for a second year, building on the momentum of 2024 and propelling competitive gaming into bold new territory.

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