The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has released the list of 30 organizations in esports joining its first-ever Club Support Program. The companies are offering six-figure payouts annually to expand into more esports titles.
Global giants join the ranks
The roster includes industry players like FaZe Clan, 100 Thieves, Fnatic, and Cloud9. While the criteria for selection have not yet been disclosed, it is largely believed the EWCF will support the clubs in their outreach to new esports titles, such as going global or starting new content verticals.
The Club Support Program does not grant automatic access to the Esports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. There is a qualification process for each title in which the organizations have to qualify.
This forms an essential ingredient in the diversification of the Saudi economy.
The Esports World Cup is part of the plan of the Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, for vision 2030, first announced in 2016. In the same year, Savvy Games Group was established by the Public Investment Fund, and in 2021, it acquired key production companies in the sector, such as ESL Gaming, FACEIT, and Vindex, merging them into the ESL FACEIT Group.
| Region | Clubs |
| North America | 100 Thieves, Cloud9, FaZe Clan, Gaimin Gladiators, NRG Esports, Spacestation Gaming, Team Liquid, TSM |
| South America | Furia Esports (Brazil), LOUD (Brazil) |
| Southeast Asia | Blacklist International, Talon Esports |
| Asia | Gen.G Esports (South Korea), LGD Gaming (China), T1 (South Korea), Weibo Gaming (China) |
| EMEA | Fnatic (UK), G2 Esports, Guild Esports (UK), Karmine Corp (France), KOI (Spain), OG, Natus Vincere (Ukraine), Ninjas in Pyjamas, Team Falcons (KSA), Team Secret, Team Vitality (France), Tundra Esports (UK), Twisted Minds (KSA), Virtus.pro (Poland) |
Esports World Cup massive prize pool awaits
Originally planning to invite 28 teams, 22 directly invited, and six from applicants, the EWCF expanded the offer by two more clubs from over 150 applicants. Clubs are based on evaluation regarding “esports pedigree, forward-looking competitive strategy and goals, and creative approach to content and fan engagement”.
The Esports World Cup Prizes sum up to $60 million, with over $33 million going to the respective esports titles and over 22 million going to the Club Championship for the best organization of all titles.
The event starts on July 3, 2024, with League of Legends, Mobile Legends Bang Bang, and Dota 2 and runs until August 25, with tournaments across 19 different esports titles.
