by The Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025 is more than just a tournament – it is a revolution in global sports culture.
Saudi Arabia, up to and including 24 August, which takes place up to and including August EWC, brings 2,000 elite players and 200 clubs from more than 100 countries together to compete in 25 tournaments in 24 of the world’s most popular titles. With a record -breaking prize pool of $ 70 million, the EWC is the biggest celebration of competitive gaming that the world has ever seen.
The core of the EWC is the determining vision. Such as Ralf Reicert, CEO of the EWC Foundation, places it in an exclusive interview with Onefootball: “EWC’s promise, why we exist, is taking the best games, with the best players, to fight for life -changing prices and crowns world’s best club.” That promise comes to life due to the groundbreaking cross-title Club Championship format of the EWC-a first fight in its kind in which the best eSports organizations earn points in several competitions, where the top team wins the coveted title of Esports World Cup Club Champion.
EA FC is central
Under the flagship titles of the EWC, EA Sports is FC, the world leader in digital football. “EA FC, the clear leader in digital football, is clearly a dream game for that promise,” says Reichert. “It has a special place because it connects the traditional sports world with the Esports World.” With more than 25 years of history, EA FC has achieved something remarkable: “It collected the entire digital football world around it,” says Reichert. “It simulated the traditional sport and created a digital world for everything, which is fantastic.”
This year EWC 2025 is organizing the Pro World Championship for EA FC in Riyadh, and solidifies what Reicert describes as “the partnership between the Esports World Cup and EA, to make this the most meaningful tournament that is there – and a platform to grow that specific sport.”
A movement supported by history and vision
Reicert’s personal journey in Gaming – from growing up with an Atari to establishing one of the earliest eSports teams in Germany – reflects the story of Esports itself. “In June 1997 we founded a team called ‘Schroet Kommando’ with a clear agenda: becoming the best in Germany than Europe,” he recalls. That path led him to put ESL together and, ultimately, the Esports World Cup Foundation in Leiden, which is committed to building a sustainable, globally inclusive future for sport.
“Nowadays, no child in the world grows without playing video games,” Reichert explains. “Everyone has a powerful console in their pocket called a mobile phone. So access to eSports has increased dramatically, and there is almost no accession threshold – which is actually similar to football and is part of the success.”
This connection with traditional sport runs deep in Reichert’s philosophy. “Football is based on people playing with a ball … Esports is exactly the same. People play a video game, make competition and people start watching – it will be a mass -phenomenon.”
EWC 2025: Built for players, supported by Nations
This year’s Esports World Cup is a new era for eSports. For the first time, an entire country embraces the event on a scale. “Historically, we have seen this with the World Cup football, the Olympic Games … Politically approved and supported events,” says Reichert. “The Esports World Cup is the first time that this has happened on such a scale in Esports.”
That support is crucial. In Saudi Arabia, where the EWC is being held, “70% of people identify themselves as gamers,” Reichert notes. “The target group itself will continue to grow for the next 10, 20, 30 years.”
Boulevard City in Riyad has become the epicenter of this cultural phenomenon and not only organizes the EWC competition, but also a compelling festival from Fandom-van Retro-Arcades to Anime Cafés, Cosplay, Live Music and Maker-Meetings. It is a celebration of every corner of gaming culture.
Stars on stage – and in the stands
The EWC not only attracts fans – it attracts icons. “Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the ambassadors of the Esports World Cup – that is the ultimate example,” says Reichert. “He brings in many eyeballs, a lot of credibility. And we can’t be more proud.”
This intersection of traditional and digital sports is exactly what makes EWC unique. “There is much more overlap between football players and eSports athletes than anyone thinks,” Reichert adds. “Many players are great in the game and fans of the game.”
Look forward
EWC 2024 shattered records, with 500 million viewers and 2.6 million personal visits. And Reicert is convinced that “this year will only grow.” With 3 billion gamers around the world and hundreds of millions of more football fans, the potential audience is amazing.
Yet the heart of the event remains the same: the players. “We talk a lot about the clubs, the ecosystem and the game,” says Reichert, “but in the end it is always about the players.”
And whether it is on the football field or for a screen, the lessons that are taught by sport persist. “The EQ, the resilience, the idea that you can’t always win … that tomorrow is a new game, a new chance – sport teaches you very, very well. And eSport is exactly the same.”
The Esports World Cup 2025 is not just a tournament. It is the future of Global Sport – United by technology, inspired by tradition, and driven by the passion of players and fans around the world.
📸 ALL -statues thanks to EWCF
