The Esports World Cup (EWC) is about to make gamers richer than many of the athletes who actually play the games.
The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) announced a prize pool of more than $70 million, making the virtual event the most lucrative of its kind.
The EWC will feature competitive gamers from across the globe and will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 7 to August 24.
“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,” Esports World Cup CEO Ralf Reichert said in a statement.
“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.”
Among the games that will take place in Riyadh include, “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 II, Street Fighter 6, Teamfight Tactics, and VALORANT,” Fox News reports.
In addition, 40 clubs have signed up to compete at the event.
Last year’s winner, Team Falcon, won the $7 million ultimate prize. The rest of the prize money was divided among other top competitors.
“Winning the Club Championship crown and $7 million at the inaugural Esports World Cup was a defining moment for Team Falcons,” Team Fsaad Al-Dossary said in a news release. “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 o
