In October 2023, the Esports World Cup was unveiled at the New Global Sport Conference in Riyadh. The inaugural event kicked off on July 2, 2024, featuring an eight-week schedule and a staggering $60 million prize pool.
When & Where is the Esports World Cup 2024?
Hosted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the Esports World Cup is a key component of the country’s ambitious initiative to become a leading center for gaming and esports.
The event is held in Boulevard. More than 500 teams engage in battles across 21 games, including Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, PUBG, Overwatch 2, Fortnite, and EA SPORTS FC.
Esports World Cup Schedule
The Saudi Esports World Cup will be held annually in July and August. Over the course of 8 weeks, you’ll have the opportunity to wager at the top esports betting sites as you experience the best of the best competing in 22 different events.
Here’s a rundown of 2024’s lineup:
Dates | Event | Game |
Jul 3 – 6, 2024 | EWC 2024 – CoD | Call of Duty: Warzone |
Jul 3 – Jul 14, 2024 | Southeast Asia Cup MLBB Mid Season Cup 2024 | Mobile Legends: Bang Bang |
Jul 4 – 7, 2024 | EWC 2024 – LoL | League of Legends |
Jul 16 – 21, 2024 | Riyadh Masters 2024 | Dota 2 |
Jul 10 – 14, 2024 | EWC 2024 – FF | Free Fire |
Jul 17 – 21, 2024 | EWC 2024 – CS2 | Counter-Strike 2 |
Jul 19 – 28, 2024 | PUBG Mobile World Cup 2024 | PUBG Mobile |
Jul 24 – 28, 2024 | EWC 2024 – OW2 | Overwatch 2 |
Jul 24 – 27, 2024 | MLBB Women’s Invitational 2024 | Mobile Legends: Bang Bang |
Jul 31 – Aug 04, 2024 | EWC 2024 – R6 | Rainbow Six Siege |
Aug 1 – 4, 2024 | EWC 2024 – AL | Apex Legends |
Aug 1 – 4, 2024 | HoK Mid-Season Invitational 2024 | Honor of Kings |
Aug 8 – 11, 2024 | EWC 2024 | Fortnite |
Aug 8 – 11, 2024 | EWC 2024 – SF6 | Street Fighter 6 |
Aug 8 – 11, 2024 | EWC 2024 – TFT | Teamfight Tactics |
Aug 14 – 18, 2024 | EWC 2024 – SC2 | StarCraft II |
Aug 15 – 18, 2024 | EWC 2024 – CoD MW3 | Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III |
Aug 15 – 18, 2024 | EWC 2024 – EA FC | EA SPORTS FC |
Aug 21 – 25, 2024 | EWC 2024 – PUBG | PUBG |
Aug 22 – 25, 2024 | EWC 2024 – CoD | Tekken 8 |
Aug 22 – 25, 2024 | EWC 2024 – RL | Rocket League |
Aug 22 – 25, 2024 | ESL R1 2024 Spring: Esports World Cup 2024 | ESL R1 |
Visit the Esports World Cup website to access the daily tournament schedule.
Games & Tournaments
There are 22 different events at the Riyadh Cup 2024. Each comes with its own format — be it tournament style, team vs team, player vs player, or battle royale — and varies in prize pool size.
Below are the top 5 events that are generating the most anticipation at the Esports World Cup 2024:
Riyadh Masters 2024: Dota 2
The last event of the ESL Pro Tour’s second season, with a big prize pool of $5 million and 2,390 Club Points.
The tournament features 20 teams — eight from the EPT Leaderboard and 12 from regional qualifiers — and spans a play-in phase, a group stage, and culminates in a fiercely contested playoff series.
PUBG Mobile World Cup 2024
The PUBG Mobile World Cup 2024 is a high-stakes mid-season global event in the competitive PUBG Mobile circuit.
Its structure is split into a group stage, a survival stage, and the main tournament, with teams competing in group rotations and playing on the Infinix GT 20 Pro.
Champions will claim a share of the $3 million purse and secure an additional qualifying spot for their region at the 2024 PUBG Mobile Global Championship.
Counter-Strike 2 Esports World Cup 2024
The Counter-Strike 2 Esports World Cup 2024 features a $1 million prize pool.
It begins with a single-elimination bracket where every match is a best of three (Bo3). Winners progress directly to the playoffs, while losers get one more chance in the Play-In Stage, competing in fast-paced best-of-one (Bo1) games.
The leading team will secure $400,000 and 1,000 Club Points.
Call of Duty Esports World Cup 2024
Call of Duty: Warzone and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III were the last games announced for the Call of Duty Esports World Cup 2024, each boasting prize pools of $1 million and $1.8 million, respectively.
Both titles will feature intense group stages and playoffs. Unique to Warzone is the solo seeding stage in which each team’s players compete individually across four matches in three groups on the Resurgence map.
League of Legends Esports World Cup 2024
The League of Legends Esports World Cup 2024 showcases a fierce single-elimination bracket with eight elite teams—Bilibili Gaming, Top Esports, T1, Gen.G, Team Liquid, FlyQuest, Fnatic, and G2 Esports—invited based on their dominance in major regions.
The competition intensifies with quarterfinals and semifinals played in a Bo3 format, climaxing in a best-of-five (Bo5) grand final. The champion will claim a significant $1 million prize and valuable EWC Club Points.
We’d suggest visiting the official Esports World Cup Saudi Arabia portal for more information and ongoing updates on how events are progressing.
Prize Pool
The Esports World Cup 2024 prize pool totals $60 million, distributed as follows:
Qualifiers
A whopping $7.6 million has been claimed in the run-up to the Game Championships, as competitors vied for spots through qualifiers facilitated by the 2024 Esports World Cup partners and event organizers.
Club Championships
Unique to the Esports World Cup, this innovative cross-game format will see teams competing for a $20 million purse.
Clubs can enter their rosters in multiple titles. Those finishing 8th or higher in each competition will earn points as follows:
- 1st: 1,000 Points
- 2nd: 600 Points
- 3rd: 350 Points
- 4th: 200 Points
- 5th: 110 Points
- 6th: 70 Points
- 7th: 40 Points
- 8th: 20 Points
Beyond the first and second positions, there are no tiebreakers; thus, if two teams tie, they will both receive:
- 3rd-4th Place: 275 Points
- 5th-6th Place: 90 Points
- 5th-8th Place: 60 Points
- 7th-8th Place: 30 Points
At the end, the team leading in points earns the title of Esports World Cup Club Champion and takes home $7 million.
The remaining $13 million pot is shared among the 2nd to 16th places, with $4 million going to second, $2 million to third, and scaling down to $150,000 for positions 13th through 16th.
Game Championships
Each game championship will feature its own prize pool, with a combined total exceeding $30 million.
Dota 2 stands high with the largest prize pool at $5 million, followed by Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and Honor of Kings, each with $3 million.
Games at the lower end of the spectrum, such as the MLBB Women’s Invitational, offer $500,000 — a record-breaking amount compared to the previous highest prize of $30,000.
MVP Awards
The remaining $1.1 million in the Esports World Cup 2024 prize pool will reward standout participants. After each competition, the top performer pockets an additional US$50,000 MVP award.
How Does the Tournament Structure Work?
The Esports World Cup 2024 features a complex qualification system tailored to each game.
This includes direct invitations for top-ranked teams and winners of major competitions, as well as regional qualifiers across Europe, North America, South America, Oceania, Asia, and the Middle East.
Notably, games like Counter-Strike 2 allocate spots based on ESL World Rankings and performance in designated qualifying tournaments.
Venues
The Esports World Cup Saudi Arabia is underway in Boulevard City—a 220-acre entertainment hub blending global cultures with attractions like upscale shops, a variety of restaurants, and versatile venues for international and local events.
There are four main arenas being utilized:
- Qiddiya Arena: Hosts a range of games throughout the weeks, including League of Legends, Dota 2, Overwatch 2, Rainbow Six Siege, Street Fighter 6, EA SPORTS FC 24, and Rocket League.
- 5v5 Arena: Kicks off with Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, continues with CS2, and features special events like the MLBB Women’s Invitational, alongside Heroes of Order and Chaos, Fortnite, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, and Tekken 8.
- BR Arena: Starts with Warzone, then moves through Free Fire, PUBG Mobile, Apex Legends, Teamfight Tactics, StarCraft 2, and returns to PUBG Mobile.
- Festival: Focuses initially on Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and Dota 2, with the rest of the schedule notably clear except for RENNSPORT in the final week.
How to Bet on the Esports World Cup
The much-awaited event has naturally spurred US online sportsbooks to roll out hundreds of Esports World Cup betting odds and markets.
Here are some of the most popular ones you’ll come across:
Looking for more information about odds and markets? Check out our esports betting guide for tips and guidance.
Esports World Cup Betting Odds
All of the top online gambling sites announced future markets well in advance.
The latest Esports World Cup betting odds from Bovada highlight a handful of strong contenders, with Finland’s Joona “Serral” Sotala dominating the StarCraft II scene at -8000 to make the final and -250 to clinch the title.
Wagering on CS:GO betting sites is shaping up to be a tight contest. Team Spirit and Team Vitality currently lead the pack with odds of +275 and +325, respectively, to win outright.
FaZe Clan, MOUZ, Natus Vincere, and G2 Esports are closely trailing, showing just a +300 spread among them.
Bet on the Esports World Cup at Bovada.
Esports World Cup Betting Tips
Still refining your strategy? Here are some top Esports World Cup betting tips to help you out:
- Set a budget and stick to it. Outline a plan for managing your bankroll across the complete 8-week duration of the Saudi Esports World Cup.
- Keep an eye on the recent performance of teams and players to gauge current strength and momentum.
- Stay updated on any roster changes, injuries, or internal issues within teams that could impact their performance.
- Review past encounters to predict future outcomes based on historical data.
- Leverage insights from professional esports analysts and experienced bettors who often share valuable tips on live streams, social media, and betting forums.
- If you’re just starting out, browse through our list of crypto esports betting sites and claim a welcome bonus.
- Keep in mind the magnitude of the Esports World Cup. Analyze which teams and players perform best under pressure.
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References
- https://www.esportsworldcup.com/en (Esports World Cup)
- https://www.dota2.com/ (Dota 2)
- https://www.leagueoflegends.com/en-us/ (League of Legends)
- https://www.callofduty.com/modernwarfare (Call of Duty)
- https://www.counter-strike.net/cs2 (Counter Strike 2)
- https://www.pubgmobile.com/en-US/home.shtml (PUGB Mobile)