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Second Esports World Cup Begins in Riyadh with $70 Million Prize Pool

This festival leverages a first-of-its-kind esports visa alongside global broadcast partnerships to broaden gaming’s mainstream reach beyond hardcore fans.

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Overview

  • The tournament opened on July 9 and runs through August 24 with over 2,000 players from 200 clubs competing across 25 events for a record $70 million purse.
  • Saudi Arabia has issued the world’s first bespoke Esports visa to streamline entry for players and fans under its Vision 2030 tourism and economic diversification drive.
  • A new cross-title Club Championship lets teams accumulate points across multiple games and awards the top club a $7 million grand prize.
  • Global ambassadors Cristiano Ronaldo and Magnus Carlsen front EWC’s outreach efforts, while Post Malone headlined the sold-out opening ceremony.
  • IMG and The Associated Press will deliver more than 7,000 hours of programming via 90 streaming and broadcast partners in 140 countries to engage non-hardcore audiences.