The first edition of the Esports World Cup will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from July 3rdto August 25th, 2024. 19 top eSports games will be played as teams compete for the ultimate bragging rights and lucrative prizes. The event will also feature a Club Championship and a prize pool worth $60 million, making it one of the biggest Esports events 2024. Here’s an overview of the World Cup, including the games, schedules and format:
All Games at the 2024 eSports World Cup
Fans of Esports will be treated to competitions around 19 of the most prominent titles in the vector. If you fancy Esports betting and real money games, some bookmakers and casinos already have futures and odds for competitions whose formats have been decided. You can also expect lucrative Esports bonuses for the event, as well as new slots and game releases themed after legendary Esports players or events.
Apex Legends was confirmed as the 19th game to join the robust list of Esports games that will be played in the 2024 World Cup. The list features popular titles like Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, Fortnight, EA FC 2024, League of Legends, Overwatch, StarCraft II, and Street Fighter 6. Other titles include Free Fire, Honor of Kings, PUBG Mobile, PUBG: Battleground, Rainbow Six Siege, Rennsport, Rocket League, Teamfight Tactics, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and Tekken 8.
Esports World Cup 2024 Released Formats
Some of the top Esports titles have already been decided, giving fans and punters a peak into the match-ups and possible outcomes. Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, Overwatch, and Starcraft have a clear picture of what the competitions will look like. Others like League of Legends, Fortnite, and EA FC await official announcements of the formats and prize pools. The 2024 World Cup will also feature a Club Championship, which is a separate competition within the event. Below is a breakdown of the revealed formats and prize pools:
Counter-Stike 2
CS 2 will be played from July 17th to 21st, featuring 15 teams competing in a $1 million prize pool. Participants come from a combination of invitations and regional qualifiers.
IEM Katowice 2024 Champions Team Spirit and PGL Major Copenhagen Champions Natus Vincere are the two invites from the prominent competitions in the sport. Seven more teams are taken from the ESL World Ranking while four are decided through qualifies in Asia, South America, Oceania, and the Middle East.
Dota 2
After the success of Gamers8 in 2023, the Riyadh Masters will return to Saudi Arabia as part of the Esports World Cup 2024. Like Counter-Strike, Dota 2 will be played in July and features 20 teams competing in a $5 million prize pool. The teams qualify through the ESL Pro Tour Leaderboard and regional qualifications. BetBoom Team, Team Falcons, and Team Liquid have already qualified through the leaderboard positions.
Overwatch
The Overwatch League might have been shut down in 2023 as the game transitions into a new ecosystem. However, fans can expect an exciting World Cup as 16 teams battle for the top prize. Teams will qualify through the Overwatch Champions Series by ESL FACEIT and Blizzard. Currently, Team Falcons, YETI, Crazy Raccoon, and From The Gamer have already qualified for the summer event.
Starcraft II
Starcraft II will feature 18 players battling for $1 million. Qualifications for Starcraft II involve multiple competitions since the World Cup will be the culminating event of the year. Earlier this year, ESL announced that the 2024 World Cup will play the role of the 2024 SC2 Pro. Top players from IEM Katowice and ESL SC2 Masters Spring Finals will get automatic spots in the five-day tournament that will see a new champion crowned.
eSports World 2024 Cup Club Championship
Club Championship rewards the top 16 organizations with a massive $20 million prize pool. Teams will compete over eight weeks, with the best from the intense battle being crowned the Club Champions.
This initiative was developed by the Esports World Cup Foundationto incentivize eSports organizations or clubs to develop new teams across different games and disciplines. An additional 30 eSports organizations, including G2 Esports, T1, and FaZe Clan, will also benefit from funding courtesy of the EWC Club Program. However, being part of the funding program doesn’t qualify any team for the Esports World Cup.
Key Takeaways
Esports World Cup 2024 promises to be one of the most exciting events of the year, with streaming projections running wild. Although the event is shrouded with contentions over the host’s stance on various socio-political issues, fans and punters can expect the best from teams as clubs and players battle for top the prize as well as bragging rights. The event is scheduled for July 3rd to August 25th, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and features 19 unique eSports games.
