The Esports World Cup Foundation has confirmed that the monumental competitive event will return in 2025. This was almost considered inevitable following this first iteration’s stellar success, which laid the groundwork for an annual series. We caught up with the Esports World Cup Foundation’s CEO, Ralf Reichert, and he suggested that this would be a yearly affair.
Big Things In Store
Saudi Arabia has plans to welcome the esports and gaming industry with open arms as it develops a ‘city’ to accommodate these super-sized tournaments. There’s a vast desire to bring publishers and developers into Riyadh, as well as stand up or host esports organisations that want to call the region home.
This is all part of a mission to make Saudi Arabia a leading player in these industries by 2030.
Here’s what CEO Ralf Reichert had to say when we interviewed him last month:
In the planning process, we debated all sorts of formats for the Esports World Cup. But while we took inspiration from top international sporting events, we felt that the EWC was best as an annual event, as the world of video games and the digital age overall work on an accelerated timeline compared to others.
We want to build the best platform to crown the best esports Clubs each calendar year, creating a prestigious moment for players and fans to aspire to attend. No format is set in stone, but we’re happy with the way the EWC is currently unfolding.
From July to August 2025, the Esports World Cup will unravel once more, and fans are eager to learn how it’ll go bigger and better than the inaugural event. This year’s EWC saw a $60 million prize pool up for grabs, as well as an ostentatious trophy system and some of the grandest stages and ceremonies in esports.
It’ll be hard to top that next year, but the Esports World Cup Foundation is eager to try.
Now that the sun has set on this year’s event, we can look back and remember the fond memories. What was your favourite game at this year’s EWC?
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