Esports World Cup 2025 CountDown: Key Dates & Details

What’s Coming? — A Quick Skim

Here’s a quick skim of the key points covered in this article:

1. What is the Esports World Cup 2025 Venue and Dates?

The Esports World Cup 2025 will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 10 to August 15, 2025.

2. What are the new games in the Esports World Cup 2025?

New games include Chess, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, CrossFire, EA Sports FC 2025, and Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves. 

3. What is the prize pool of the Esports World Cup 2025?

The official prize pool hasn’t been announced, but it's expected to be higher than 2024’s $60 million.

4. What is the Esports Club Program in 2025?

The Esports Club Program allows teams to compete in multiple games and earn points to win overall rankings.

5. How many events will the Esports World Cup 2025 have?

There will be 25 events, three more than the 2024 edition, making it the biggest Esports World Cup ever.

6. How can I watch the Esports World Cup 2025?

Fans can attend live in Riyadh, watch on Twitch, or follow updates on official esports channels.

7. What teams won the Esports World Cup 2024?

🏆 Team Falcons won with 5665 points.
🥈 Team Liquid finished second with 2545 points.
🥉 Team BDS secured third place with 2000 points.

8. Why is Chess part of the Esports World Cup 2025?

Chess is joining esports with the Champions Chess Tour, and Magnus Carlsen is the official brand ambassador.

9. What games are NOT returning for the 2025 edition?

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III and EA Sports FC 24 were dropped from the 2025 lineup.

Esports World Cup 2025 Comes to Saudi Arabia

The Esports World Cup 2025 is set to take place on a massive stage in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from July 10 to August 15, 2025. While these are the expected dates, they may be subject to change.

Saudi Arabia is well known for its state-of-the-art esports facilities and passionate gaming community. 

To accommodate the World Cup excitement, the tournament will be held across four distinct arenas. The 2025 edition will follow the tradition of having one game per arena. 

The arenas are:

• Qiddiya Arena
• 5v5 Arena Amazon Arena
• BR Arena 
• STC Play Gaming Hall

With this World Cup, they are making a strong mark in the esports community, intending to become global leaders (all part of their vision 2030). 

What’s New in the 2025 Esports World Cup Edition?

The 2025 Esports World Cup (EWC) is set to redefine competitive video gaming with groundbreaking changes and exciting additions.

With new games and innovative formats expected, this edition promises to offer tons of truly exciting moments. Let’s see what makes this year's Esports World Cup a must-watch for esports fans worldwide!

1. More Games, More Action

The 2025 Esports World Cup is expanding its roster of games and featuring several new titles. One of the most exciting additions is chess (digital chess of course). 

For the first time, chess will be a part of the Esports World Cup. The legendary Magnus Carlson (five-time world chess champion) is set to be the brand ambassador for this major move.

The addition of chess (with two online tour events in the form of the ‘Champions Chess Tour) is a bold move to connect chess with the broader esports community.

The Champions Chess Tour will be the primary pathway for chess players to qualify for the Esports World Cup Championship.

Other exciting new titles joining the lineup (so far) include Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, CrossFire, EA Sports FC 2025, and Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves. 

These additions ensure that fans of both tactical shooters and fast-paced action will have plenty to look forward to.

Games from the 2024 Esports World Cup that didn’t cut this year include:

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III
• EA Sports FC 24

2. New Teams, New Rivalries

The 2025 edition will welcome several new teams, injecting fresh talent and competition into the tournament. 

This is a golden opportunity for rising esports stars to prove themselves against established esports giants.

With more qualifiers and regional playoffs, the path to the World Cup is now more accessible than ever. Teams from around the globe will battle it out for a chance to compete on the biggest stage.

The inclusion of global ambassadors like Magnus Carlsen as well as legendary players adds even more excitement. 

3. Introducing the Esports Club Partner Program

For the 2025 World Cup edition, the Esports World Cup Foundation is expanding its Club Partner Program. 

They are expanding support from 30 esports clubs to 40, backed by a $20 million investment.

Each club will receive six-figure funding to grow its brand and engage fans year-round, leading up to the 2025 Esports World Cup. 

Clubs can earn extra funding through performance-based activities. The program focuses on expanding esports into key markets like China, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and the MENA region. 

Clubs can apply openly, with the top 2024 championship clubs getting direct invites. 

This initiative helps clubs invest in esports, creating career opportunities and supporting notable esports athletes globally.

4. More Events, More Thrills

The 2025 edition will feature a staggering 25 events! This is three more than the 2024 edition of the Esports World Cup. 

This expansion ensures that fans will have non-stop action to enjoy.

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Esports World Cup 2025 Format and Schedule

The Esports World Cup 2025 will feature a competitive format designed to crown the ultimate champions. The tournament will consist of a mix of online qualifiers and live events where points will be awarded according to position.

Teams and players will compete across 25 events, with each game having its own unique structure. 

For example, Chess at the Esports World Cup will be played in a rapid 10+0 format.

Qualifiers will be held globally, giving rising stars an incredible opportunity to secure a chance at a qualifier spot. The finals will take place in Riyadh, where the winning team will be celebrated as the true GOAT of esports.

Esports World Cup 2025 Games List

The Esports World Cup 2025 game lineup is bigger and better than ever. It features a mix of fan-favorite titles and exciting new additions. 

Initially, the Esports World Cup Foundation announced that 18 titles would be included in the 2025 edition of the event. 

Since then, some more titles have been added to the list as well and 2 more are yet to be announced.

Here’s the full list of games (so far):

1. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
2. Call of Duty: Warzone
3. Dota 2
4. Honor of Kings
5. Counter-Strike 2
6. Overwatch 2
7. Valorant
8. Apex Legends
9. Rainbow Six Siege
10. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
11. PUBG Mobile
12. Free Fire
13. Rocket League
14. Street Fighter 6
15. EA Sports FC 25
16. Crossfire
17. Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves
18. Rennsport
19. Chess
20. League of Legends
21. Teamfight Tactics

Whether you’re into shooters, MOBAs, or strategy games, this year’s Esports World Cup has everything!

Esports World Cup 2025 Prize Pools

The Esports World Cup 2025 is expected to break records with its prize pools, building on the success of the 2024 edition. 

In 2024, the total prize pool exceeded $60 million, making it one of the most lucrative esports tournaments in history.

For 2025, expectations are even higher. 

By introducing chess and some of the other biggest games, the prize pools are anticipated to grow significantly. 

The Club Program will also contribute to the distribution, rewarding teams that excel across multiple titles.

While the exact prize pool for the entire 2025 edition hasn’t been announced yet, some titles have announced the prize amounts. 

For example, the prize pool for Esports World Cup 2025 Counter-Strike 2 is set at $1,250,000.

The winning team of Esports World Cup 2025 Counter-Strike 2 will take home $500,000 as the first-place prize. The remaining amount will be distributed among other top-performing teams.

How to Watch the Esports World Cup 2025

The Esports World Cup 2025 offers multiple ways to catch all the action, whether you’re watching live or online. 

Here’s how you can tune in:

• Attend Live in Riyadh
• Watch Online on Twitch
• Check Official Esports Channels
• Read the Latest Esports News 

For those attending live, tickets for Esports World Cup 2025 range from $55 for the most affordable option to $1300 for premium seating. 

Prices vary depending on the ticket type.

Read More: Benefits of Esports Live Streaming for Tournaments 

What Happened at the Esports World Cup 2024? Key Details

It’s safe to say that the Esports World Cup 2024 was a massive success.

It peaked at 1,123,619 viewers and became the 4th most-watched esports series of 2024.

The tournament followed a points-based system, where teams earned points across multiple games to compete for the ultimate title.

Here’s a breakdown of the top 3 teams that dominated the leaderboard:

🏆 Winners: Team Falcons – 5665 Points

🥈 Second Place: Team Liquid – 2545 Points

🥉 Third Place: Team BDS – 2000 Points

Other notable moments from the 2024 Esports World Cup include:

• Team Falcons dominated multiple titles including Call of Duty: Warzone and FreeFire.
• Team Captain Lee Faker led Team T1 to an epic victory in League of Legends.
• Team Liquid made a comeback in the final days, climbing from 5th place to secure 2nd place overall.
• CS: GO Grand Finals delivered a nail-biting five-map thriller that went into overtime.
• Women’s esports tournaments were included for the first time.
• Massive group audience engagement, with millions watching live and interacting on leading online platforms (like Twitch).

Final Verdict: What to Expect from Esports World Cup 2025

The Esports World Cup 2025 is set to be bigger, better, and more competitive than ever before.

With more games, new teams, and an already vibrant ecosystem, this edition promises to be the best yet.

To put the icing on the cake, chess joins the World Cup game list for the first time. This means fans will witness showcase chess events alongside the biggest esports titles in the world. 

It’s a truly historic move bringing chess into the esports family (especially with all the debate around if esports is a sport or not!). Watch the video below to hear from Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, on why this addition is so significant:

With this vision, future Esports World Cups could feature even more exciting games and groundbreaking events!

Read More: The Complete Guide to Esports Event Management 

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