EWC 2025 is shaping up to be a truly global celebration of esports. Bigger, flashier, and more competitive than ever, the Esports World Cup promises over a month of action-packed matches across some of the world’s most beloved games.
It’s not just another tournament, it’s the Olympics of gaming, pulling in players from every genre imaginable to compete for glory, trophies, and a share of the largest prize pool ever offered in esports history.
Whether you’re deep into Dota or hyped for some high-stakes Tekken matches, this article will guide you through everything: what EWC is, what’s different in 2025, which games are featured, and how and where to watch it all unfold.
What is The EWC?
The Esports World Cup (EWC) is a massive, multi-title esports tournament where teams and players represent their organizations in a long-format summer event.
Instead of focusing on just one title, the EWC covers a wide range of games, from FPS to MOBAs, battle royales to sports sims, and even fighting games. The idea is simple: gather the best of the best across genres and make them compete under one roof.
What makes the EWC especially unique is the Club Championship format. Unlike other tournaments that reward individual winners for each game, EWC gives additional prestige and money to the esports clubs that perform well across multiple titles.
Organizations rack up points as they go, aiming not only for individual victories but also for the title of EWC Club Champion.
It’s like watching a sports franchise crush in basketball, football, and baseball at the same time.
A Brief History of EWC
The concept of an esports world cup has been around in many forms, but the EWC proper launched in 2024.
Backed by the Esports World Cup Foundation and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, the inaugural event was a huge success.
Held in Riyadh, it featured 22 game titles, ran for over a month, and handed out an unprecedented $62.5 million in total prizes.
In terms of impact, it wasn’t just the size that mattered, it was the coordination. Teams competed across genres simultaneously, and clubs like Team Falcons, Gaimin Gladiators, and Tundra Esports quickly realized that cross-game strategy and scouting became just as important as traditional preparation.
Now, in 2025, the event is returning with more games, higher stakes, and more buzz.
When Will EWC 2025 Take Place?
EWC 2025 kicks off on July 7, starting with fan festivities, community events, and last-chance qualifiers. The competitive matches begin in earnest on July 8, with each week highlighting a rotation of different games and genres.
The finals weekend will take place August 21–24, meaning the full event will last just under two months. This gives each title time to shine without overlapping major finals, allowing fans to follow multiple games without missing out.
The seven-week schedule is designed to maintain hype and let every community—from MOBA lovers to fighting game fans—feel like they’re the center of attention, at least for a few days.
Where Will EWC 2025 Take Place?
Just like last year, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is hosting the event. The venue is none other than Boulevard Riyadh City, a massive entertainment district outfitted with four dedicated esports arenas, festival grounds, and expo areas.
The city of Riyadh. Source: Wikipedia
Here’s a quick look at the key arenas:
- Qiddiya Arena: The main stage for most finals.
- Amazon 5v5 Arena: Used for team-based games like League, Dota, and VALORANT.
- stc Battle Royale Hall: Built for PUBG, Free Fire, and Warzone showdowns.
- Play Gaming Hall: Community tournaments, cosplay contests, and fan events.
The organizers are putting a strong emphasis on blending professional esports with pop culture this year. Expect to see live music, creator meetups, art installations, and even a fashion zone inspired by gaming culture.
Summarized EWC 2025 Schedule
Let’s break down the seven-week journey of EWC 2025. Each week features a different mix of titles:
Week 1 (July 8–13)
- Games: VALORANT, Dota 2, Apex Legends, MLBB, Rennsport, Fatal Fury
- Highlights: Opening finals and qualifiers
Week 2 (July 15–20)
- Games: League of Legends, Overwatch 2, Free Fire, Honor of Kings, MLBB Women’s, Dota 2
- Highlights: Big MOBA week
Week 3 (July 22–27)
- Games: Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, StarCraft II, PUBG Mobile, Chess, Honor of Kings
- Highlights: FPS and strategy games take over
Week 4 (July 29–August 3)
- Games: Overwatch 2, PUBG Mobile Finals, Chess, MLBB Playoffs, EA FC 25
- Highlights: Community engagement peaks
Week 5 (August 7–10)
- Games: Warzone, EA FC 25, Rainbow Six Siege, Tekken 8
- Highlights: Console and tactical games
Week 6 (August 11–17)
- Games: Rocket League, PUBG Battlegrounds, Tekken 8, TFT, SF6
- Highlights: Mix of speed, smarts, and fighting games
Week 7 (August 19–24)
- Games: Counter-Strike 2, Street Fighter 6, Crossfire
- Highlights: Epic grand finals weekend
Each weekend closes with big matches, award ceremonies, and updates to the Club Championship leaderboard.
You can check the full schedule on the official EWC website.
Which Games Will Be Played in EWC 2025?
EWC 2025 features 25 tournaments across 24 game titles. The list includes a mix of global heavyweights and some fresh entries. Here’s a look at what’s confirmed:
MOBA & Strategy
- League of Legends
- Dota 2
- Honor of Kings
- TeamFight Tactics
- Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (plus a women’s-only tournament)
Shooters & BRs
- Counter-Strike 2
- VALORANT
- Call of Duty: Warzone
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
- Free Fire
- PUBG Mobile
- PUBG: Battlegrounds
- Rainbow Six Siege
- Apex Legends
- Overwatch 2
- Crossfire
Fighting Games
- Street Fighter 6
- Tekken 8
- Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves
Sports & Simulations
- EA SPORTS FC 25
- Rennsport (racing sim)
- Rocket League
- Chess
It’s worth noting that this is one of the only events where chess will appear alongside FPS titles. It speaks volumes about EWC’s ambition to be a truly cross-genre spectacle.
What is The EWC 2025 Prize Pool?
EWC 2025 boasts a $70 million+ prize pool, making it the richest esports event in history. It’s broken down into several components:
Club Championship ($27 million)
Teams earn points across all games. The best-performing organization gets $7 million alone.
Game Tournaments ($38 million)
Each title has its own allocated prize pool. For example:
- Dota 2: $3 million
- Mobile Legends: $3 million + $500k for women’s event
- Honor of Kings: $3 million
- League of Legends: $2 million
- CS2 & VALORANT: $1.25 million each
- Fighting games: $500k–$1 million
Qualifiers ($5 million+)
Preliminary events give smaller orgs a shot at joining the main stage.
MVP Awards ($450,000)
Individual brilliance will also be rewarded, regardless of team performance.
These numbers are unprecedented and offer players not only a shot at glory but life-changing earnings.
Source: Sarah Cooper, ESL
Where Can You Watch EWC 2025?
You don’t need a flight to Riyadh to catch all the action. Here’s how you can tune in:
Online
- YouTube (EWC Official) – Livestreams, match highlights, and player interviews
- Twitch (EWC + Co-streamers) – Real-time reactions with some of the biggest content creators
- Game-specific channels – Some events may also stream via Riot, Valve, and others
In-Person
- Tickets are available via the official EWC website. Attendees also get access to fan zones, meet-and-greets, and more.
Social Media
Follow @EWC on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and TikTok for real-time updates, bracket changes, and meme-worthy moments.
Wanna Play Like The Pros?
Watching the top players at EWC 2025 is inspiring, but what if you could actually play like them, too?
While talent, training, and teamwork matter a lot, there’s one thing every pro relies on that most casual players overlook: a stable, low-latency connection.
That’s where NoPing comes in.
NoPing is a software that optimizes your internet connection for online games, reducing ping, packet loss, and lag spikes.
It works with all the major EWC titles, like VALORANT, CS2, Dota 2, League of Legends, PUBG, and more, by rerouting your connection through the fastest routes available. The result? Faster reactions, smoother gameplay, and a real shot at climbing the ranks.
Here’s how to use NoPing to increase your performance in online games:
- Sign-up through the website and download NoPing (you can test it for free).
- Open NoPing and search for your game inside the software
- Once you find it, click on it and, on the next screen, select “Choose automatic” or “Choose manual” and click “Continue”. We recommend choosing automatic, as NoPing’s technology analyzes all routes on a global scale and automatically selects the best option for you.
- On the next screen, click on “Optimize Game”.
- And that’s it, you can start playing with optimized ping!
You can test different servers within NoPing to see which gives you the lowest latency.
EWC 2025 isn’t just a tournament, it’s a movement. It’s uniting genres, smashing prize pool records, and redefining how fans experience esports. Whether you’re into shooters, strategy, or side-scrolling uppercuts, there’s something here for you.
So set your reminders, call your squad, and clear your weekends, because from July to August, the esports world will be watching EWC 2025.
And to play all these games without lag, use NoPing! Download now and start your free trial!
