Latest news with #EWC2025
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Indian sports wrap, June 19: S8UL seals grand final spots in three titles of Esports World Cup
ESPORTS S8UL qualifies for grand finals in three titles at Esports World Cup 2025 Indian esports organisation S8UL has officially qualified for the grand finals of Apex Legends, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB), and EAFC 25 at the upcoming Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Featuring a record-breaking prize pool of USD 70 million (approx. INR 598 crore), the EWC 2025 will be one of the biggest esports events in history. S8UL's Apex Legends squad, featuring Rick Wirth (Sharky), Benjamin Spaseski (Jesko), and Tom Canty (Legacy), qualified for the EWC 2025 through the Apex Legends Global Series (ALGS) 2025: Split 1 Pro League for APAC South. Competing in a challenging triple round-robin format against 30 of the best teams from the region, the squad clinched its EWC spot by finishing in the top five with 109 points. The all-Australian line-up has a strong competitive track record, having competed at the inaugural EWC and several ALGS Championships, with team captain Sharky notably winning the ALGS Championship in 2022. The team now advances to the ALGS Midseason Playoffs, set to take place at the EWC from July 10 to 13, where 40 of the world's best teams will compete for a $2 million (INR 17.2 crore) prize pool. S8UL will also be representing India in EAFC 25 through Germany's Jonas Wirth (Jonny), who secured his spot by finishing in the top four of the Virtual Bundesliga 2024–25. After winning three of his four group stage matches, Jonny advanced to the playoffs, where he dominated the round of 16 and quarterfinals before narrowly missing out in the semifinals. A seasoned veteran, Jonny was the champion of both the Virtual Bundesliga and the eChampions League last year. He will now compete in the FC Pro 25 World Championship at the EWC from August 7 to 10, where 32 of the world's top players will battle for a $1.5 million (INR 12.5 crore) prize pool. Meanwhile, S8UL's Aaron Rivera (Happy) qualified for the FC Pro 25 Play-Ins following a dominant run in the LATAM North region, where he won three consecutive FC Pro 25 Open Cups. He will compete against 47 other top players for the four remaining spots at the EWC. S8UL's MLBB roster qualified for the MLBB Mid Season Cup (MSC) at EWC 2025 after a commanding victory in the NACT Spring Season. The team, featuring Michael Cosgun (MobaZane), Ian Hohl (FwydChickn), Jang Seong-hun (Hoon), Ziameth-Jei Caluya (ZIA), Vo Trung (Shark), and Carlos Ortega Vega (Bestplayer1), was dominant throughout the tournament, defeating Area 77 with a 4–2 scoreline in the grand finals to secure their berth. BOXING 640 boxers to compete in Junior Boys and Girls' Nationals in Rohtak Both the Junior Boys and Junior Girls competitions at the sixth U-17 National Championships will feature 13 weight categories each. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Around 640 up-and-coming pugilists from across the country, including 350 boys and 290 girls, will face off in the sixth Junior (Under-17) Boys and Girls National Championships at the National Boxing Academy in Rohtak, Haryana, between June 19-26. Both the Junior Boys and Junior Girls competitions will feature 13 weight categories each, ranging from 44-46 kg to 80+ kg. The Services Sports Control Board will look to defend its title from the fifth Boys' Nationals, while Haryana enters as the defending champion in the Girls' category. 'The Junior National Championship is a crucial platform for young boxers to showcase their skills in front of national selectors and coaches. It plays a key role in helping BFI identify and nurture future talent. I am happy to see strong participation from all teams as we look to discover the next generation of Indian boxing stars. Many of these young boxers will represent India in the 2032 and 2036 Olympic Games, and therefore, this championship is of great importance,' said Ajay Singh, Boxing Federation of India (BFI) president-chairperson, Interim Committee. 'This championship also comes before the Asian Youth Games in October this year, where, for the first time, boxing has been included. The winners from here will go on to represent India at these Asian Games, where 14 medals will be up for grabs. With robust systems already in place, BFI is committed to supporting these young athletes in realising their full potential,' he added. The gold and silver medallists of the REC Combined Talent Hunt (Junior Boys and Girls) held in October 2024 would be eligible to participate in the National Championships under the REC banner, provided they fulfil the eligibility criteria of being born between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010. The championships will be conducted as per the World Boxing Technical & Competitions Rules, wherein each bout will consist of three rounds of two minutes each, with a minute's rest in between. A ten-points-must scoring system shall be followed. -Team Sportstar ARCHERY Indian junior archers enter three finals at Asia Cup Stage 2 The Indian junior archers continued their dominating run by storming into three team finals at the Asia Cup Stage 2 in Singapore on Thursday. The Indian men's recurve team, seeded second, defeated fifth-seeded Bangladesh 5-1 in a one-sided semifinal to set up a summit clash with third seeds Japan. The trio of Vishnu Choudhary, Paras Hooda and Juyel Sarkar dominated from the outset, taking the opening set 55-48. Although the second set was tied at 55-55, the Indians bounced back strongly, dropping just one point in the third set to win it 59-56 and seal the issue. In the recurve mixed team event, Vaishnavi Pawar and Vishnu Choudhary defeated Singapore's Tabitha Ern Lin Yeo and Yue Long Li 5-3 to enter the final. The Indian pair won the first set 37-35, tied the second 37-all, and lost the third 36-38 to make it 3-3. But Pawar and Choudhary held their nerves to close out the match with a commanding 38-34 win in the final set. India also assured itself of a medal in the compound men's team event after the trio of Kushal Dalal, Ganesh Thirumuru, and Mihir Apar edged past fifth-seeded Australia in a tense semifinal decided by a shoot-off (30-29) after both teams were tied at 232 after four sets. India will take on Kazakhstan in the final. The top-seeded Indian compound women's team, comprising Shanmukhi Budde, Tejal Salve, and Tanishka Thokal, defeated fourth-seeded Kazakhstan 230-229 in a nail-biting semifinal to ensure another medal. They will meet Malaysia in the final. The top-seeded Indian compound mixed team pairing of Shanmukhi and Kushal also confirmed another medal by defeating Indonesia's Nurisa Dian Ashrifah and Prima Wisnu Wardhana 155-154 in a nail-biting semifinal. They will face third-seeded Kazakhstan in the final. However, there was heartbreak for the Indian women's recurve team. Seeded fifth, the troika of Vaishnavi Pawar, Kirti, and Tamanna lost a thrilling quarterfinal to fourth seeds Japan 4-5 (26-28) in the shoot-off after a five-set battle. They lost the opening set 47-49 and slumped further after managing only 34 in the second set to Japan's 55. But the Indians showed great resilience to take the third set 55-53 and level the scores 4-4 after claiming the fourth set 54-52. In the shoot-off, Japan edged ahead by just two points. Indian archers are also in the hunt for four individual medals on the concluding day on Friday. The women's compound final will be an all-Indian affair, with Shanmukhi set to face Tejal for gold. In the men's compound section, India will be in the hunt in both the gold and bronze medal matches. Kushal will face Joshua Mahon of Australia for the gold, while Sachin Chechi will take on Himu Bachhar of Bangladesh for bronze. -PTI Related Topics Boxing Federation of India
Arabian Business
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Arabian Business
Cristiano Ronaldo named ambassador for $78m prize-pot Esports World Cup 2025 in Saudi Arabia
The world's biggest gaming tournament kicks off in Saudi Arabia on July 7, with a record-breaking $70m prize pool and Cristiano Ronaldo as a global ambassador. Saudi Arabia aims to make esports history this summer as the Esports World Cup 2025 (EWC) returns to Riyadh from July 7 to August 24, bringing together the world's top gamers and teams. Cristiano Ronaldo, captain of Al Nassr FC and five-time Ballon d'Or winner, has been named Global Ambassador for the Esports World Cup. The announcement was made by the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF), the organisers behind the world's largest and most prestigious gaming tournament. Cristiano Ronaldo named ambassador for Esports World Cup 2025 Held at Boulevard City in Riyadh, the Esports World Cup 2025 will feature: 2,000+ professional players 200+ clubs 100+ countries represented 25 tournaments across 24 top game titles A record prize pool exceeding $70 million As ambassador, Ronaldo will lead EWC's international media campaign, appear in a range of promotional activities, and even feature as a playable character in FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves — one of the headline games in the 2025 competition. His involvement is expected to draw fresh audiences to esports, leveraging his global social media following of more than 1bn fans. The Esports World Cup is part of the Kingdom's ambitious strategy to become a global hub for gaming and digital entertainment, reinforcing its leadership in hosting mega-events that merge technology, culture, and sport.
Makkah Newspaper
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Makkah Newspaper
Esports World Cup to Feature Record-Breaking Prize Pool ofMore Than $70 Million for 2025 Event
The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has today announced a record-breaking $70+ million prize pool for the upcoming Esports World Cup 2025 EWC), the world's largest esports event, set to return to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 7 through August 24. With the highest stakes in esports history, the $70+ million prize pool elevates EWC as one of the world's most prestigious sporting events and reinforces the EWCF's long-term commitment to the sustainable growth of the esports industry. The total prize pool is a $10 million increase from last summer's inaugural event, marking a significant step in the Esports World Cup Foundation's mission to create life-changing opportunities and provide sustainable career paths for competitive players and multidisciplinary esports Clubs.'The record-breaking $70+ million prize pool, along with our commitment to the Club Partner Program and our multi-year publisher agreements, is a privilege to announce and validation of our purpose to elevate the industry, by giving players, clubs, publishers and all other stakeholders the stability needed to invest for future success, ' said Ralf Reichert, CEO, Esports World Cup Foundation. 'While more than $70 million is an incredible, life-changing sum, it's always aligned with a long-term vision rather than short-term impact. It's not just to have more money at stake, but to create opportunities for everyone at every level of the ecosystem, and strengthen the industry for generations to come." With 25 tournaments in 24 games announced to date, including four new games—Chess, Crossfire, FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves and VALORANT—EWC 2025 will bring together more than 2,000 elite esports players and 200 top Clubs for the largest multi-game competition in history, with a life-changing prize pool rewarding more players and Clubs on the world's biggest stage. Tickets for EWC 2025 are now available to purchase at The EWC Club Championship, the innovative cross-game competitive format unique to the EWC, will award $27 million of the $70+ million total to the top 16 Clubs based on their overall performance, with $7 million allotted for the 2025 winner. After the Club Championship's $27 million allocation, the remainder of the total prize pool will be divided into three distribution categories: Game Championships, MVP Awards, and qualifiers on the Road to EWC. Each of the Game Championships will have its prize pool with a combined total exceeding $38 million. In addition, a $450,000 MVP Award pool will be allocated to standout participants across all competitions. More than $5 million will be awarded to the Road to EWC qualifiers, where teams and players compete for the remaining tournament spots through eligible events hosted by partnered publishers and organizers. The 2024 event attracted over 500 million online viewers and 2.6 million visitors to Riyadh's Boulevard City. At the inaugural EWC in 2024, Team Falcons captured the world's attention, running up the leaderboard with 10 top-three finishes, including three first-place placements, to earn 5,665 points and ultimately win the $7 million Club Championship title. North American Team Liquid finished in second place with 2,545 points and French Team BDS placed third with 2,000 points. 'Winning the Club Championship crown and $7 million at the inaugural Esports World Cup was a defining moment for Team Falcons, " said Mosaad Al-Dossary, CEO of Team Falcons. "The opportunity to compete in front of our home fans, where they made the arenas shake with every great play, motivated us like never before, and it was an honor to secure the victory for them. We've used the momentum and winnings from last year to build on our success and we look forward to continuing that legacy this summer.' 'Competing at the inaugural EWC contributed to one of the most successful competitive years in our 24-year history, securing a strong second-place finish in the EWC 2024 Club Championship, ' said Steve Arhancet, Co-CEO of Team Liquid. 'With our winnings, we expanded into new games like chess, strengthened our international presence in Southeast Asia, and supported philanthropic initiatives. The experience, momentum, and rosters we've built over the past year put us in the perfect position to claim the Championship crown at EWC 2025. We believe this to be our year. 'The full lineup of games for the EWC 2025 announced to date include, in alphabetical order: Apex Legends, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Call of Duty: Warzone, Chess, Counter-Strike 2, Crossfire, Dota 2, EA Sports FC 25, FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves, Free Fire, Honor of Kings, League of Legends, Mobile Legends Bang Bang, Overwatch 2, PUBG BATTLEGROUNDS, PUBG Mobile, Rainbow Six Siege X, Rennsport, Rocket League, Starcraft ||, Street Fighter 6, Teamfight Tactics, and VALORANT. Along with the increased prize pool, EWCF is expanding its support for the entire esports industry through a number of partnerships with other leagues and competitions. Recent agreements with the likes of Riot Games, Activision and Capcom will see the EWCF support external competitions with resources that further help the stability of esports circuits and the industry as a whole, while increasing the pathways for players to reach the Esports World Cup each year. The EWCF recently announced that 40 top Clubs joined its industry-leading EWCF Club Partner Program that will provide financial support for Clubs to expand their brand and global fanbase: 100 Thieves, All Gamers, Bilibili Gaming, Cloud9, Edward Gaming, EVOS, FaZe Clan, Fnatic, FURIA, G2 Esports, Gaimin Gladiators, Gen.G, Gentle Mates, HEROIC, JD Gaming, Karmine Corp., Movistar KOI, LEVIATAN, LOUD, MOUZ, NAVI, NIP .eStar, ONIC, POWR, REJECT, S8UL, Sentinels, T1, Team BDS, Team Falcons, Team Liquid, Team RRQ, Team Secret, Team Spirit, Team Vitality, Twisted Minds, Weibo Gaming, Wolves Esports, ZETA DIVISION. The Esports World Cup 2025 will once again unite gaming and esports communities in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for a global competition that will crown the next Esports World Cup Champion. The tournament's unique cross-game format will reward Clubs and players competing for a life-changing prize pool across a mix of platforms and genres, bringing together esports' best teams, players and games under one banner in the largest-ever celebration of esports. Additionally, the New Global Sport Conference, a premier event uniting global leaders in esports, gaming, sports, entertainment, and technology to shape the future of global sports, will return to Riyadh on August 23-24, 2025. The conference that bridges East and West to drive transformative global initiatives will see 1,500 industry leaders and decision-makers gather to collaborate on the growth and future of these dynamic industries. For more information, visit To learn more about EWC, visit and follow Esports World Cup Foundation on LinkedIn.
Express Tribune
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Esports World Cup 2025: Arslan Ash qualifies for Tekken, set to battle for $1 million prize
Listen to article Pakistani esports sensation Arslan Ash has secured his place in the Tekken 8 tournament at the 2025 Esports World Cup (EWC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, reinforcing his status as one of the world's top Tekken players. The EWC, running from July 7 to August 24, will feature 25 esports titles and over 2,000 competitors from more than 200 clubs, competing for a record-breaking $70 million prize pool. The Tekken 8 event, set for August 14 to 16, will see 32 elite players battle for a $1 million prize fund. Pakistan's Arslan Ash has officially qualified to TEKKEN 8 in ESports World Cup! 🚨🇵🇰⭐️ Make us proud, @ArslanAsh95! — Muneeb Farrukh (@Muneeb313_) May 25, 2025 Arslan Ash, a five-time EVO champion with titles including EVO Japan 2019, EVO 2019, EVO Japan 2023, EVO 2023, and EVO 2024, continues to dominate the Tekken scene despite past challenges such as visa issues that forced him to withdraw from events like Evo Japan and Riyadh Clash 2025. His qualification for the EWC 2025 highlights his ongoing commitment to maintaining Pakistan's presence on the international esports stage. Arslan Ash's reputation as a fierce competitor is well-established, and his participation is highly anticipated by fans worldwide. The Esports World Cup promises seven weeks of high-level competition across multiple games, with Tekken 8 among the most eagerly watched. Arslan Ash's success at international tournaments, including recent appearances at Combo Breaker 2025 in Schaumburg, further cements his position as a global esports icon. At Combo Breaker, he placed joint fifth in Tekken 8 among a field featuring top players from around the world. I am happy with the result. Thanks for the support 🙏 — Twis | Arslan Ash (@ArslanAsh95) May 25, 2025 As the esports community looks ahead to the EWC 2025, Arslan Ash remains a standout figure whose journey continues to inspire gamers in Pakistan and beyond.
Indian Express
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
All you need to know about Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ), the final qualification path for chess at Esports World Cup 2025
The 'Last Chance Qualifier' LCQ — the final qualification path for chess at the Esports World Cup (EWC) — has been announced recently, as the Dreamhack Dallas 2025 event will act as the LCQ, filling up the last four spots for the EWC 2025. The DreamHack festival, set to happen from May 23 to 23 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Centre in Dallas, is an open-to-all event where any professional or amateur player can participate and confirm their spot for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's capital city, where the EWC 2025 will take place. Earlier, 12 players were finalised in the EWC roster for chess through the two-leg Champions Chess Tour 2025. Five-time world champion and world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, world No. 3 and popular Twitch and YouTube streamer Hikaru Nakamura and reigning co-world blitz champion Ian Nepomniachtchi qualified for EWC after finishing in the top three of CCT's first event, the Chessable Masters, which was played in February. Nine other players, including India's Arjun Erigaisi — the only player from this country — confirmed their spots through the second leg of CCT, the Classic 2025. R. Praggnanandhaa missed out on qualification just by a whisker, and alongside him, players like Aravindh Chithambaram and Nihal Sarin — both of whom signed with an Indian Esports organisation, S8UL — and current world champion D. Gukesh might try their luck to qualify for the lucrative EWC through the LCQ. The EWC will offer prize money of $1.5 million (12.8 cr) with a time control set to be 10 minutes for the entire game with no increment(10+0). What is the Esports World Cup? The Esports World Cup brings together top esports clubs across 24 popular titles. EWC 2025 will run in Riyadh from July 7 to August 24, featuring chess as an online event for the first time. The inaugural 2024 edition spanned eight weeks, while the 2025 event will be history's largest multi-title esports tournament with 2,000+ players, 200+ teams, and a $70 million (≈₹602 crore) prize pool. How can one register and participate in LCQ?
