Esports World Cup Draws More Than 500 Million Viewers, Crowns Team Falcons First Club Champion
Competitions Across 21 Games Amounted to 250 Million Hours Consumed; Inaugural Event Most-Watched Tournament in 2024
Over 2 Million Visitors Attend World's Largest Gaming and Esports Festival
Esports World Cup Set to Return to Riyadh in July and August 2025
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Aug. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Esports World Cup Foundation ("EWCF"), the non-profit organization dedicated to hosting the Esports World Cup ("EWC"), the world's largest esports competition and gaming festival, celebrated the historic inaugural event by crowning Team Falcons the first Esports World Cup Club Champion on Sunday night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Closing Ceremony concluded the biggest weekend in esports history, which also showcased the star-studded 2024 Esports Awards and the 2024 New Global Sport Conference.
At the Closing Ceremony, the victorious Team Falcons were awarded $7 million in life-changing prize money and the Esports World Cup Club Championship Trophy, which was presented to CEO Mossad "Msdossary" Al-Dossary by HRH Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia.
HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan, Chairman of the Saudi Esports Federation said: "The Esports World Cup has underscored the transformative impact of esports and the pivotal role that this incomparable industry now plays in cultures and societies all around the world – its inclusive and empowering nature is something truly unique. For eight successive weeks, this unparalleled event has brought the entire international gaming community together like never before – inviting all to participate in this milestone moment in esports history. We could not be more delighted with what's transpired this summer – it's a historic moment in time that Saudi Arabia and the world will always remember fondly."
Across its eight-week run, the Esports World Cup recorded more than 500 million viewers who consumed over 250 million hours of content, making it the most-watched tournament in 2024. The event reached its highest peak concurrent viewership of 3.5 million during the League of Legends Grand Final, when legendary superstar Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok guided T1 to championship victory over Top Esports.
T1 and Top Esports were two of more than 200 esports clubs that participated in the Esports World Cup, competing in front of sold-out crowds in Riyadh's Boulevard City. In total, more than two million fans visited the Esports World Cup festival in Boulevard City, which was transformed into the epicenter of gaming culture, featuring community tournaments, pop culture celebrations, concerts, and immersive international experiences.
The Esports World Cup awarded an unprecedented total of more than $60 million in prize money — the largest prize pool in esports history – of which $20 million was reserved for the Club Championship, allocated across the top 16 finishers.
Team Falcons fielded competitors in 18 of the event's 22 game championships, making them the most-represented Club at the Esports World Cup. The Club finished with 5,665 points, including two game championships (Call of Duty: Warzone, Free Fire) and six additional Top 3 finishes. After Team Falcons, Team Liquid (2,545 points, $4 million), Team BDS (2,000 points, $2 million), Team Vitality (1,650 points, $1.5 million) and T1 (1,600 points, $1.25 million) rounded out the Top 5.
The Esports World Cup Foundation has also confirmed the event's return to Riyadh in July and August 2025.
Ralf Reichert, CEO, Esports World Cup Foundation, said: "The Esports World Cup has been an incredible success in year one, driving global esports to new heights. I'm proud of accomplishing what we set out to do: bringing together the best games, Clubs and players, offering a life-changing prize pool and building the world's largest esports festival. Congratulations to Team Falcons, who were rewarded for their competitive excellence and investment across many new games by becoming the first Esports World Cup Club Champion. I can't wait to gather the best of the industry again for another epic EWC in 2025!"
Faisal bin Homran, Chief Product Officer of the Esports World Cup Foundation, said: "The Esports World Cup was a unique event that brought together the best players, teams, games, and fans in one location. In addition, the Esports World Cup is also a prime example that our investments and our willingness to build projects at this massive scale are primarily aimed to fulfill the passion of our youth for gaming and esports. We are focused on developing esports in Saudi Arabia and we are determined to obtain our vision of developing this sector into a fully functioning industry that tailors to the interests of our local population. Our aim is to become a global hub for gaming and esports; to elevate the sector, contribute meaningfully to its development, and shape its future on a global scale."
The Esports World Cup welcomed more than 1,500 of the world's best esports players from over 100 countries as they competed across 22 competitions in 21 games. The games lineup consisted of (in alphabetic order): Apex Legends, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, Call of Duty: Warzone, Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, EA Sports FC 24, Fortnite, Free Fire, Honor of Kings, League of Legends, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Overwatch 2, PUBG Battlegrounds, PUBG Mobile, ESL R1, Rocket League, StarCraft II, Street Fighter 6, Teamfight Tactics, TEKKEN 8 and Tom Clancy's Rainbow 6 Siege.
Following Sunday's awards presentation, winning players were honored in the Celebration of Champions, a festive event that combined live music with compelling stories of the champions' journey. The program was followed by live performances headlined by international music icons Steve Aoki and Kid Cudi, as well as fireworks and a light show.
The biggest weekend in esports history also included the 2024 Esports Awards, the most prestigious night in esports, where the best in the industry, including teams, athletes, content creators, games and more, were honored. In addition, the 2024 New Global Sport Conference (NGSC) brought leaders from esports, gaming, business, sports, and entertainment together to explore "The Future of Fandom." Thought leaders from around the globe, including HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar, Ralf Reichert, Magnus Carlsen, Toshimoto Mitomo, Greg Norman, Maya Rogers, RJ Cutler, Dr. Songyee Yoon, Sir Leonard Blavatnik and Joe Marsh, discussed fandom's impact on business planning, content, IP and media rights, marketing, and community-building.
For more information on the Esports World Cup, visit esportsworldcup.com, and follow all upcoming Esports World Cup announcements on X (formerly Twitter).
For all official event photos, click HERE.
About Esports World Cup
The Esports World Cup is a global celebration of competitive excellence and esports fandom. The competition features a unique cross-game structure that will pit the world's top esports teams and players against one another for the largest-ever prize pool. Debuting in the summer 2024, gamers, publishers, and fans from around the globe will come together in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to crown the world's first Esports World Cup Club Champion.
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