Looking ahead to 2025, the ESports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) and Riot Games have announced a significant partnership, bringing Valorant to the competition. This popular 5 vs 5 tactical shooter has gained immense popularity worldwide, and its inclusion in the ESports World Cup is highly anticipated. Additionally, League of Legends and TFT will return to the competition, having already been part of the 2024 edition.
These three leading titles will showcase the best clubs, players, and worldwide talent when the ESports World Cup visits Riyadh next summer. Fans of League of Legends can expect to see the best teams competing on a global stage for a substantial economic award. Valorant will also feature its top players in the largest championship outside the VCT structure, while TFT will provide an exciting team format for international talents to compete.
This collaboration strengthens the position of the ESports World Cup as a global platform in the video game industry, bringing together top esports in a single competitive poster to expand its scope and capture new audiences. The inclusion of Valorant reinforces this mission, introducing one of the most exciting games in the esports ecosystem to the event. To date, 23 tournaments in 22 games have been announced for 2025, with more to come.
The partnership between the ESports World Cup Foundation and Riot Games includes a commercial agreement with Lol Esports, Valorant Champions Tour (VCT), and the TFT competitive circuit. Starting with the VCT Masters Bangkok on February 20, 2025, the collaboration will feature ESports World Cup broadcasts in LOL ESports, VCT, and Global TFT events.
According to Fabian Scheuermann, main games director of the ESports World Cup Foundation, “Riot Games has shaped the cultural impact of competitive gaming, transforming esports into a global entertainment force.” He added, “With League of Legends, Valorant, and TFT, Riot has been a pioneer in an ecosystem far beyond competition. Bringing these games to the ESports World Cup, we are not just celebrating elite competition, but also expanding esports as a global entertainment movement, creating deeper connections with fans through gaming, music, and digital culture.”
League of Legends, one of the most popular games globally with 100 million monthly players, had a notable moment in the Grand Final of the EWC 2024 when the esports legend, Faker, led T1 to victory in front of 12.5 million online viewers and thousands of fans in Riyadh. Meanwhile, in the grand final of TFT, Wolves Esports, representatives of the English Soccer League, the Premier League, narrowly missed out on the top spot.
About the ESports World Cup
The ESports World Cup is an annual competitive event celebrating excellence and enthusiasm for esports. The competition features a unique format that brings together the best teams worldwide to compete for the greatest prize in electronic sports history. The inaugural edition in 2024 presented 1,500 elite athletes and 200 clubs from 100 different countries, competing in 22 games for a $60 million prize. The eighth week of competition and festival achieved 500 million online viewers and was seen by 2.6 million people in person. In the summer of 2025, the ESports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, will bring together gaming communities and esports enthusiasts to crown the next ESports World Cup Champion.
For more information on the ESports World Cup, please visit their official website.