By Sagar V. Mankar The first Esports World Cup is a multi-title esports event backed by the Saudi government, boasting a staggering $60 million prize pool (revised on April 16th).
The tournament will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and will feature a range of the most popular esports titles from MOBA, Action, Shooter, and Fighting.
The event was first announced in October 2023, with Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman himself present, showcasing the burgeoning importance of esports for a Middle Eastern country.
It is basically built on the previous Gamers8 series which was also organized by the same Saudi-backed organization which was later renamed to EWC Foundation.
The tournament is part of the ambitious plan of Saudi Arabia to transform itself from a conservative oil-based economy to a modern tech-loving nation.
All Games Featured at the Esports World Cup
The Esports World Cup will feature a diverse lineup of 19 popular esports titles, including:
- Counter-Strike 2
- Dota 2
- Fortnite
- StarCraft II
- Honor of Kings ($3 Million Prize Pool)
- Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
- Free Fire ($1 Million Prize Pool)
- PUBG
- PUBG Mobile ($3 Million Prize Pool)
- Rainbow Six Siege
- Overwatch 2
- EA FC 24
- Street Fighter 6
- League of Legends
- Teamfight Tactics
- RENNSPORT
- Apex Legends
- Rocket League
- TEKKEN 8
This diverse lineup reflects the global reach of esports, showcasing titles from various regions and gaming platforms, including both PC and mobile.
From the FPS dominance of Counter-Strike 2 to the MOBA prowess of Dota 2 and League of Legends, the tournament will showcase the best of the best in competitive gaming.
Qualified teams from various regions will compete in the 20 Game Championships for individual titles.
First Ever Club Championship Announced
All the 20-game tournaments will lead us to the larger competition known as The Club Championship, where the best esports team or organization across multiple titles will be crowned the Club Champion.
Here is how the Club Championship will differ from the other tournaments at the EWC:
- Multi-game competitions: In the Club Championship, esports clubs/org select the games they want to compete in across the various game titles featured at the EWC. This is different from typical esports tournaments that focus on a single game.
- Club performance-based: The $20 million prize pool for the Club Championship is awarded to the top 16 esports clubs based on their overall performance across the multiple game titles they compete in. This contrasts with other EWC tournaments where prize money is awarded to individual players/teams for their performance in a specific game.
- Club vs Individual: While other EWC tournaments crown champions in individual game titles, the Club Championship aims to determine the best overall esports club by evaluating their collective performance across multiple games.
- New format: The cross-game, club performance-based format of the Club Championship is an innovative approach introduced by the EWC, differing from traditional single-game tournaments.
This unique competitive structure aims to redefine the traditional tournament format, offering new opportunities for esports fans, teams, and publishers alike.
Prize Pool Increase
Initially, the prize pool was said to be $45 million (same as Gamers8: The Land of Heroes in 2023) but in a recent post, EWC announced a much bigger – $60 million prize pool across the multiple tournament events.
This prize pool will be distributed among the Club Championship, Game Championship, Qualifiers, and MVP prize money.
Here is the prize pool distribution among the different categories at the Esports World Cup (EWC)
- Club Championship: A total of $20 million to the top 16 clubs based on their overall performance across various game championships.
- Game Championships: Each of the 20 Game Championships will have their own prize pool, with a combined total exceeding $33 million.
- MVP Awards: A $50,000 MVP Award will be given to a standout participant in each of the 20 competitions (20 x $50,000), plus Club MVP ($100,000), totaling $1.1 million.
- Qualifiers: More than $7 million will be awarded before the Game Championships start, as teams and athletes compete to qualify for available tournament spots across eligible qualifier events.
#EsportsWorldCup 2024 prize pool in a nutshell:
🔷 $30,000,000+ | Game Championships
🔶 $20,000,000 | Club Championship
🔷 $7,600,000 | Qualifiers
🔶 $1,100,000 | MVP Awards pic.twitter.com/LNGa1v8V8e— Esports World Cup (@ESWCgg) April 16, 2024
As the event approaches, organizers will reveal the complete schedule, format, and prize pool for the respective titles.