$70 Million Esports World Cup 2025 Prize Pool Announced, The Biggest Prize Pool in Gaming History

The Esports World Cup 2025 (EWC) is coming in hot with a record-smashing $70 million prize pool. That’s not just the biggest bag in esports history — it’s sports history, period. Last year, EWC stunned the world with a $60 million prize pool. This year? They broke their record like a final boss who refuses to be nerfed.

Hosted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this summer-long spectacle is out to prove one thing: esports isn’t the future — it’s the NOW.

Top 5 Biggest Esports Tournaments by Prize Pool

1.    Esports World Cup 2025, Prize Pool: $70 million, Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Year: 2025
2.    The International 2021 (Dota 2), Prize Pool: $40 million, Location: Bucharest, Romania, Year: 2021
3.    Esports World Cup 2024, Prize Pool: $60 million, Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Year: 2024
4.    Fortnite World Cup 2019, Prize Pool: $30 million, Location: New York City, USA, Year: 2019
5.    PUBG Global Championship 2021, Prize Pool: $7 million, Location: Incheon, South Korea, Year: 2021

Here's the breakdown of the prize pool 

•  $27M for the Club Championship, with $7M to the winning Club
•  $ 38 M+ across 24 Game Championships
•  $500K for MVP awards – celebrating individual excellence
•  $ 5 M+ for Road to EWC qualifiers – opening more doors to compete

Chess Enters the Esports Arena — Yeah, Seriously

Hold onto your pawns — Chess is officially part of the esports multiverse. And no, this isn’t your grandpa’s basement tournament.

EWC 2025 will feature a $1.5 million prize pool just for chess, with 16 of the world’s top grandmasters going head-to-head in a brutal rapid format — 10 minutes, no increment, all heat.
Names like:
1.    Magnus Carlsen (Team Liquid)
2.    Hikaru Nakamura (Team Falcons)
3.    Arjun Erigaisi (Gen.G)

“I’m thrilled to see Chess join some of the biggest games in the world at the Esports World Cup,” said Magnus Carlsen. “This is an incredible opportunity to grow the game by introducing Chess to new audiences.” 

Gaming’s Elite Titles Go Head-to-Head

Whether you're squad-wiping in Valorant, pushing lanes in Dota 2, planting spikes in CS2, or going beast mode in League of Legends, the EWC has you covered.

With 24 blockbuster titles featured, this event isn’t just a tournament — it’s a celebration of everything we love about gaming. Expect mind-blowing plays, meme-worthy moments, and international rivalries that go harder than a cracked aim duel.

Clubs, Content, and Cash: The Bigger Picture

It’s not just about prize money (okay, it kinda is) — but the EWC Club Support Program is flipping the script on how tournaments work. 40 elite esports organizations from around the world — including NAVI, Gen.G, Team Liquid, T1, G2 Esports, and Team Falcons — are getting up to $1 million each to level up content, build infrastructure, and expand their fandom. “We’re not just organizing a tournament,” said Faisal Bin Homran, Chief Product Officer at EWCF. “We’re investing in the future of esports and ensuring it thrives across continents.”

Star Power, Global Stage

With chess grand masters, esports icons, and content creators all converging in Riyadh, EWC 2025 is more than a championship — it’s gaming’s Super Bowl, Oscars, and World Cup rolled into one. From Magnus Carlsen to IShowSpeed, from T1 vs NAVI to unexpected upsets, this event is set to break viewership records and send social media into overdrive.

Final Boss Level Unlocked

The $70 million Esports World Cup 2025 is more than a tournament — it’s an era-defining moment for competitive gaming. With chess going digital, esports organisations getting real support, and top titles delivering nonstop action, this summer in Riyadh is going to leave a mark on gaming history.
Welcome to the new gold standard. See you in Saudi Arabia.