VALORANT EWC 2025: Teams, Format, Opening Matches & How to Watch

image via Esports World Cup

The Valorant Esports World Cup 2025 is set to be one of the biggest showdowns in competitive gaming, happening in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. With 16 top teams from around the globe, the tournament brings high-stakes matches, rivalries, and elite gameplay, all backed by a $1.25 million prize pool. With some of the most known organizations in attendance, the event’s shaping up to be a key moment in this year’s Valorant scene.

VALORANT EWC 2025 Qualified Teams

Running from July 8 to 13, the 16 teams earned spots through regional VCT qualifiers or other events. Here’s how they’re grouped:

Group A

• G2 Esports

• Bilibili Gaming

• Paper Rex

• Karmine Corp

Group B

• XLG Esports

• Sentinels

• BBL Esports

• DRX

Group C

• Rex Regum Qeon

• Team Heretics

• NRG

• Titan Esports Club

Group D

• Fnatic

• Gen.G Esports

• 100 Thieves

• EDward Gaming

Every team’s coming in with the same goal: win it all. But with such a mix of styles and talent, picking a favorite is not easy.

Tournament Format & Schedule

The tournament has two main stages:

• Group Stage (July 8–10): Teams are split into four groups of four. They’ll play in double-elimination format, and all matches here will be best-of-three (BO3). So, even if a team loses early, there’s still a chance to bounce back.

• Playoffs (July 11–13): Top two teams from each group move to the single-elimination bracket. Quarterfinals and semifinals are BO3, and the Grand Final is a best-of-five (BO5) to crown the champion.

Opening Matches 

• Paper Rex vs Bilibili Gaming – 11:00 AM

• G2 Esports vs Karmine Corp – 11:00 AM

• Sentinels vs BBL Esports – 12:00 PM

• DRX vs XLG Esports – 12:00 PM

• NRG vs Team Heretics – 1:00 PM

• RRQ vs Titan Esports Club – 1:00 PM

• 100 Thieves vs Fnatic – 2:00 PM

• Gen.G Esports vs EDward Gaming – 2:00 PM

VALORANT EWC 2025 Prize Pool & Where to Watch

Here’s how the $1.25 million prize pool will be distributed:

• 1st – $500,000

• 2nd – $230,000

• 3rd – $130,000

• 4th – $70,000

• 5th–8th – $40,000

• 9th–12th – $25,000

• 13th–16th – $15,000

Even teams that don’t make it far still earn something, which helps reward strong efforts across the board.

Players can catch every match live on the Esports World Cup’s Twitch and YouTube channels. Full match timings haven’t been posted yet, but keeping an eye on their socials will help you stay updated. With top teams, regional clashes, and a huge prize pool, fans are in for a wild few days.

              Written By- Kazi Mohasin Zaman, India Today Gaming