Latest news with #EWCF
Al Arabiya
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Al Arabiya
Post Malone to headline Esports World Cup 2025 opening ceremony in Riyadh
US rapper and singer Post Malone will headline the opening ceremony of the Esports World Cup 2025, which will be held in Riyadh on July 10, 2025, the organizers announced Friday. 'Post Malone's performance will kick-off a seven-week event that brings together gaming, music, and culture, reflecting the EWC's role advancing gaming as mainstream entertainment for a digital generation,' a statement by the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) said. Describing the artist's connection with gaming, the statement added that Post Malone has deep roots in the esports and gaming community – streaming Call of Duty: Warzone, PUBG, and Hunt: Showdown on Twitch, and collaborating with developers on in-game events, including a recent crossover with Apex Legends. The announcement for Post Malone as headliner follows the launch of EWC Music, an initiative aimed at creating an original music identity for the Esports World Cup and establish music as a core pillar of the fan cultural experience, EWCF's 'This year's [opening ceremony] will deliver a fresh take on the classic story of ambition, resilience and progress, told through the lens of EWC,' added Ariel Horn, executive producer of the EWCF. 'It's exciting and new. So many game genres converging on one global stage, the music fuels the competitive fire at the heart of this event and this industry, and Post Malone is the perfect voice to carry that passion and celebrate the beginning of an historic event.' The EWC 2025 will feature 2,000 players and 200 clubs from more than 100 countries, competing in 25 tournaments across 24 games for a record-breaking prize pool of over $70 million.
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.
News18
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Cristiano Ronaldo Named Global Ambassador For Upcoming 2025 Esports World Cup
Last Updated: The Esports World Cup 2025 will feature 2,000 players from over 100 countries, competing for a $70+ million prize pool. The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) today announced that Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has been appointed as the Global Ambassador of the Esports World Cup 2025 (EWC). The 2025 edition of the Esports World Cup is set to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 8 to 21. 'Sport is always evolving – and esports is one more frontier," said Ronaldo in a statement from EWC. 'The commitment, drive, talent, and intensity I have been able to see in esports athletes is no different from what I've experienced on the pitch. I'm proud to stand alongside these competitors and be part of a global event that's inspiring a new generation." 'I'm proud to join the Esports World Cup as Global Ambassador – standing with esports athletes who rise above and inspire the next generation," Ronaldo wrote on X. I'm proud to join the Esports World Cup as Global Ambassador – standing with esports athletes who rise above and inspire the next generation. @EWC_EN #AD — Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) June 13, 2025 'Cristiano Ronaldo connects generations — from lifelong football fans to today's emerging competitors," said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation. 'We're humbled to have the greatest of all time stand with us in this moment for esports." Ronaldo has already played a formative role in the evolution of the Esports World Cup. He participated in the global announcement of the creation of EWC in 2023 and attended last summer's Closing Ceremony in Riyadh, where he celebrated Team Falcons' historic Club Championship win. As Global Ambassador, Ronaldo will headline the tournament's global campaign leading up to and throughout the seven-week competition and festival in Riyadh. He also stars as a playable character in FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves, one of the 25 tournament titles in this year's Esports World Cup games lineup. The EWC 2025 will feature 2,000 elite players and 200 Clubs from more than 100 countries, competing in 25 tournaments across 24 games for a record-breaking $70+ million prize pool.
Makkah Newspaper
12-06-2025
- Business
- Makkah Newspaper
Esports World Cup Foundation Announces 40 Clubs Selected for Its $20 Million Club Partner Program, Uniting over 300 Million Esports Fans Worldwide
The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) today announced the top 40 esports Clubs that have been accepted into the EWCF Club Partner Program, an industry-leading initiative designed to promote the sustainable growth of esports organizations. The $20 million program offers participating Clubs up to $1 million in funding to expand their brand and grow their global audience through innovative content and marketing campaigns leading up to and throughout the Esports World Cup Since 2023, the EWCF has supported esports Clubs with a carefully aligned funding model that contributes to the Club Partner Program members' financial stability and brand growth. To achieve this, the 2025 Program will focus on fueling global fan growth across all borders and games through impactful storytelling and creative campaigns. Leveraging EWCF support, the 40 Partner Clubs, reaching over 300 million fans, will drive global growth by creating compelling experiences and content that deepen their connection with fans Embargo until 17.03.25, 2pm CET worldwide, including behind-the-scenes production, player documentaries, and live fan experiences that excite their communities. The 2025 program offers modular funding for campaigns that engage fans, tell EWC-related stories, and enable Club-driven innovation. 'The EWCF Club Partner Program is a cornerstone of our mission to build a sustainable future for esports Clubs worldwide while creating opportunities for organizations from some of the world's fastest-growing markets' , said Faisal Bin Homran, Chief Product Officer at the Esports World Cup Foundation. "This year's 40 partnered Clubs represent a diverse and dynamic cross-section of global esports, spanning legacy organizations, rising stars and global powerhouses that collectively define the rich history and the rapidly evolving future of the industry. By investing in their growth, the program will enable Clubs to expand their audience and reach, strengthen their brands, and gain greater visibility through fan-first content, shaping the future of esports as a global sport and mainstream entertainment." With this year's focus on high-growth regions, the 2025 EWCF Club Partner Program represents a truly global roster, including six Clubs from China, alongside additions from rapidly expanding markets like Japan, India, and LATAM. The full lineup of Clubs, in alphabetic order: 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 2025 Club Program applications in China were supported by Tencent E-Sports, who have facilitated the process for 20 Clubs that have applied. Six Clubs were selected, including All Gamers, Bilibili Gaming, Edward Gaming, JD Gaming, Weibo Gaming, and Wolves Esports—China's most dominant teams, engaging over 125 million Chinese fans through gaming, entertainment, and lifestyle content. Additionally, eStar, as part of NIP , has also been added to the lineup, further serving the expansion of the Club Partner Program in China and activating Chinese fans. All Clubs were selected through a rigorous evaluation process that reviewed nearly 200 applications. This included assessing their competitive track record in the Club Championship in 2024, their potential across multiple games, social media presence, fan engagement, and their strategic plans for activating their global esports audience. Eight Clubs received direct invitations based on their EWC 2024 Club Championship ranking, while the remaining spots were allocated through an open application process. Nineteen Clubs joined for the first time, and 21 returned from the inaugural year. 'Esports is evolving faster than ever, and the EWCF Club Partner Program is driving that evolution by giving Clubs the tools to grow, engage fans, and compete at the highest level, " said Fabien "Neo" Devide, Chairman and co-founder of Team Vitality. "EWC 2024 was a defining moment for us—winning points in five games, two podium finishes, and securing a top-four finish at the Club Championship. The scale and energy of the event proved just how influential esports has become. We're proud to be part of the program again, fueled by the enthusiasm of French fans who continue to support and inspire us as we look to elevate our game, win as many tournaments as possible, and carry Team Vitality's colours high on the biggest stage in esports.' Embargo until 17.03.25, 2pm CET 'As one of the fastest growing esports organizations in North America, we are delighted to join the EWCF Club Partner Program, ' said Rob Moore, CEO of Sentinels. 'Continuing the momentum of our success in 2024, including a major win in VALORANT and significant growth across our social channels reaching millions of fans in North America and beyond, the addition of VALORANT to the Esports World Cup is the perfect time for us to become an official partner and deliver new and exciting content to an even wider audience.' "Since Day One, All Gamers has chased esports glory—pushing non-stop for over 20 years. With years of hard work from our teams, we've scored big wins in top games and trained legends in the scene, " said Le Kedeng, Chairman of All Gamers. "Competing at the 2024 EWC against the world's best, that fire burns bright. Now joining EWCF's Club Partner Program, here's our hope: When fans worldwide see Chinese esports through AG, they won't just recall epic comebacks, but our crew's unstoppable spirit—cutting through challenges like a blade. That combination of grit and grace—that's China's gift to the global esports race." Membership in the EWCF Club Partner Program is subject to annual renewal in line with the Program's requirements, reflecting the dynamic nature of the esports industry. A Club's participation in the program does not guarantee a spot at the Esports World Cup 2025. All Clubs are required to qualify through official qualification pathways to earn their spot in each game's EWC tournament. 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 participating 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. To learn more about the EWC Club Partner Program, visit For more information about the Esports World Cup, visit and follow @EWC_EN on X. Follow the Esports World Cup Foundation on LinkedIn for the latest announcements about Esports World Cup 2025.
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.
