Esports World Cup Foundation Launches Global "Road to EWC" Program
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More than 200 events around the world will give top esports clubs and players, from grassroots to professional, the chance to qualify for the Esports World Cup 2025 in Riyadh.
The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has unveiled the qualification system for the Esports World Cup 2025 with the launch of the global "Road to EWC" programme. With over 200 tournaments ranging from grassroots leagues to elite international circuits, the Road to EWC offers players of all levels the opportunity to compete on the world's biggest stage, the Esports World Cup, which returns to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 7 July to 24 August. The Road to EWC will also feature a multi-channel marketing campaign with original content from selected qualifying events and partner leagues around the world.
"Road to EWC is a platform for every player, Club, and community whose journey defines the spirit of competition," said Faisal Bin Homran, Chief Product Officer, of the Esports World Cup Foundation. "By connecting hundreds of tournaments across the world, we are creating life-changing opportunities for players at every level, bringing the world's best talent to Riyadh. This is how we grow the sport - by growing our partnerships, investing in competitions and laying the foundation for sustainable growth across the industry."
For League of Legends, Valorant, Overwatch 2, and Apex Legends, official publisher circuits such as the LEC, VCT, OWCS, and ALGS serve as the primary route to qualification. Other games such as Dota 2, Call of Duty: Warzone, PUBG, Teamfight Tactics and StarCraft II host open online qualifiers, while fighting games like Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8 and Fatal Fury qualify players through community-driven tournaments such as EVO Japan, Combo Breaker and CEO. In mobile titles such as Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Free Fire, PUBG Mobile and Honor of Kings, region-specific leagues across Southeast Asia, MENA and LATAM will produce national champions to represent their respective nations in Riyadh. Finally, titles such as Chess, EA Sports FC 25 and Overwatch 2 will host a final wave of Last Chance Qualifiers in July.
With 25 tournaments across 24 games, including four new games - Chess, Crossfire, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves and Valorant - the EWC 2025 will bring together more than 2,000 esports players and 200 top clubs to compete for a prize pool of more than $70 million, the largest in esports history.
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