The Esports World Cup Prize Pool: “A Truly Life-Changing Number”
KEY POINTS
- The Esports World Cup Foundation announced on April 16, 2024, that the total prize pool for the inaugural Esports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, will be over $60 million.
- In a release distributed to the press, the Esports World Cup revealed the enormous sum, stating that it had broken the record for the largest prize pool ever awarded at an esports tournament.
- As part of what the official announcement dubbed “life-changing prize money,” $34.3 million will be earmarked for tournament winners specifically.
- $20 million will be distributed to the top 16 clubs based on their overall performance. The first-placed team will receive $7 million.
- Additionally, $50,000 will be awarded to MVPs in each competition to tune of $1.1 million. A further $7.6 million will form prize pools for the qualifier tournaments.
The event, which is organized and funded by the Saudi Arabian government, will feature over 20 games. Visit this page, Esports World Cup games, to view the full list of titles being played.
Esports World Cup Prize Pool per Game
Here’s a look at how the Esports World Cup prize money stacks up. The total prize pool to be distributed among tournament winners is $34.3 million.
| Esports | Event | Prize Pool (US$) |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) | MLBB Mid Season Cup 2024 | 3,000,000 |
| Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) | MLBB Women's Invitational 2024 | 500,000 |
| StarCraft 2 (SC2) | Esports World Cup | 1,000,000 |
| Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) | Esports World Cup | 1,000,000 |
| Dota 2 | Riyadh Masters 2024 | 5,000,000 |
| Honor of Kings (HoK) | HoK Mid-Season Invitational 2024 | 3,000,000 |
| Free Fire | Esports World Cup | 1,000,000 |
| PUBG | Esports World Cup | 2,000,000 |
| PUBG Mobile | PUBG Mobile World Cup 2024 | 3,000,000 |
| Rainbow Six Siege | Esports World Cup | 2,000,000 |
| Overwatch 2 | Esports World Cup | 1,000,000 |
| Fortnite | Esports World Cup | 1,000,000 |
| Rocket League | Esports World Cup | 500,000 |
| EA Sports FC | Esports World Cup | 1,000,000 |
| Street Fighter 6 | Esports World Cup | 1,000,000 |
| Tekken 8 | Esports World Cup | 1,000,000 |
| Teamfight Tactics | Esports World Cup | 1,000,000 |
| League of Legends (LoL) | Esports World Cup | 1,000,000 |
| RENNSPORT | ESL R1 2024 Spring: Esports World Cup | 500,000 |
| Apex Legends | Esports World Cup | 2,000,000 |
| Call of Duty: Warzone | Esports World Cup | 1,000,000 |
| CoD Modern Warfare 3 | Esports World Cup | 1,800,000 |
Esports World Cup Club Champion
In addition to all of the excitement surrounding the prize monies of the multiple esports tournaments, there’s more up for grabs.
This is because a further $20 million in prizes will be rewarded to the top performing teams. This is part of the Esports World Cup Club Championship prize pool. After 8 weeks, the esports org that perform the best walks away with the majority of the prize pool: $7,000,000. The full distribution will be as follows:
| Placement | Prize (US$) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 7,000,000 |
| 2 | 4,000,000 |
| 3 | 2,000,000 |
| 4 | 1,500,000 |
| 5 | 1,000,000 |
| 6 | 800,000 |
| 7 | 600,000 |
| 8 | 450,000 |
| 9 | 350,000 |
| 10 | 250,000 |
| 11 | 200,000 |
| 12-16 | 150,000 |
Record-Breaking Prize Pool?
The sum falls short of the record for an individual esports tournament with a single game title, a record still held by Dota 2’s The International 21 with its over $40 million prize. However, across multiple events, the EWC easily surpasses the record of $45 million set by last year’s Gamers8.
In a statement posted on LinkedIn, Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation talked up the magnitude of this announcement:
“A truly life-changing number. It’s about uniting the world’s best athletes across the best games giving fans the incredible competitions they deserve under one umbrella that uplifts the meaning of esports competition. Above all, it’s a true testament to our commitment to helping leapfrog the industry, provide sustainable career options for athletes, and support Clubs worldwide.”
This enormous number further puts the Esports World Cup as a betting event on the map. Already a dramatic statement about Saudi Arabia’s intentions in the esports space, now the EWC seems set on cementing itself in the annals of history as well.
Closing out their prize pool announcement, the Esports World Cup Foundation stated it had “activated in Las Vegas to highlight the tournament’s confirmed games, marquee athletes and the world’s best Clubs.” This activation included taking over Las Vegas’ iconic Sphere with an advertisement for the Esports World Cup.
The Esports World Cup is a multi-week gaming tournament and festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Set to run from July 4 to August 24, the event will be organized by elements of the Savvy Gaming Group, a subsidiary of the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund.
