The Esports World Cup Foundation has today unveiled a monumental $45 million commitment to the players, teams, and organizations participating in the upcoming Esports Nations Cup. The event is set to unravel in Riyadh in November, and it’s in addition to the staggering $75 million Esports World Cup, which begins in July.
While the Esports World Cup is centered around traditional organizations fielding teams across multiple games, the Esports Nations Cup is a country-based competition circuit that encourages national pride, amongst other things.
The EWCF Has Pledged $120 Million to Esports
The headline here is that the Esports World Cup Foundation has pledged an eye-watering $120 million to the esports space this year alone.
From November 2 to November 29, a host of countries will send their squads to Riyadh to compete across a slew of games, fighting for prize pools, recognition, and geographical bragging rights. In a press release, the $45 million pledge was broken down accordingly:
- $20 million in prize money, spread across 16 titles
- $5 million in Club incentives for clubs that release and enable their professional players to participate in the ENC
- $20 million through the ENC Development Fund, supporting partners with logistics, travel, marketing, and growth
It’s hard to see a downside to this venture, as $20 million being set aside to help organizations get to this global stage is admirable, if nothing else.
In the release, the CEO of the EWCF, Ralf Reichert, said:
National teams bring a powerful new layer to esports, one that is accessible, intuitive, and rooted in identity and pride. Clubs are the cultural backbone of esports. Nation-based competition expands the stage, creates new rivalries, and gives more fans a reason to care from day one.
Our prize model is designed to keep competition fair and sustainable, rewarding performance while supporting the long-term development of players, Clubs, and national programs.
Thus far, the EWCF has announced only a few titles out of the 16 coming to the Esports Nations Cup:
- Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
- Trackmania
- Dota 2
More games will be announced in the coming days.
Will you be watching the Esports Nations Cup in November and cheering on your country? Let us know on the Insider Gaming Discord server.
For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out the news that BLAST plans to deliver 40 esports events in two years
Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
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