The inaugural Esports World Cup will run from July 2 to August 24 in Riyadh. Photo: Saudi Press Agency
The inaugural Esports World Cup will run from July 2 to August 24 in Riyadh. Photo: Saudi Press Agency
The inaugural Esports World Cup will run from July 2 to August 24 in Riyadh. Photo: Saudi Press Agency
The inaugural Esports World Cup will run from July 2 to August 24 in Riyadh. Photo: Saudi Press Agency

Esports World Cup: Everything you need to know as Saudi Arabia gaming extravaganza begins


Faisal Salah
  • English
  • Arabic

Professional gamers from across the globe are descending on Saudi Arabia to compete in the inaugural Esports World Cup.

Starting tonight in Riyadh, the event will run for nearly eight weeks until August 25 and replaces the Gamers8 festival with a grander vision and bigger ambitions. It has a combined prize pool of more than $60 million, setting a new benchmark for esports.

The Esports World Cup will feature 22 competitions across 21 different video game titles. It begins in Riyadh's Boulevard City with an opening show which will be streamed live on the official website.

Thirty esports organisations from Europe, North America, Asia, South America and the Middle East have been selected to compete. The teams, chosen based on their competitive achievements and strategic approach to fan engagement, will vie for the prizes.

Championship prizes

The $60 million overall prize pot will be distributed across various categories, including the Club Championship, individual Game Championships, Qualifiers and MVP Awards, ensuring substantial rewards are available for teams and players who excel in their respective disciplines.

The Club Championship is the highlight, aggregating results across all games to crown an overall champion. A $20 million prize pool is distributed to the top 16 clubs based on their cumulative performance.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with Cristiano Ronaldo, FIFA president Gianni Infantino and Saudi sports minister Prince Abdul Aziz bin Turki Al-Faisal during the Esports World Cup 2024 announcement last year. Photo: Saudi Press Agency
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with Cristiano Ronaldo, FIFA president Gianni Infantino and Saudi sports minister Prince Abdul Aziz bin Turki Al-Faisal during the Esports World Cup 2024 announcement last year. Photo: Saudi Press Agency

The games line-up spans a diverse range of esports genres, including popular titles like League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Dota 2, alongside newer sensations such as Fortnite and Valorant.

How to get tickets

Speaking to The National last month, Ralf Reichert, chief executive of the EWC Foundation, said the event aims “to be the ultimate competition across the different games and bring them all together at a scale that the gaming industry hasn't seen”.

He added: “The intention of the EWC is to accelerate the growth of the esports industry specifically. It clearly has the ambition to become one of the largest sports events in the world.”

Tickets for spectators are on sale and range from 12 SAR to 20 SAR, with the ‘all-access pass’ costing 76 SAR. Tickets, priced at 149 SAR, are also available for after-show concerts which will feature names such as Wiz Khalifa, DJ Snake and Jack Harlow.

Looking to the future

Beyond its immediate spectacle, the EWC 2024 aims to leave a lasting legacy by fostering grass roots esports development, promoting community engagement and inspiring the next generation of gamers and industry professionals. Organisers hope this can be done through workshops, panels, and educational initiatives.

Reichert believes the EWC is more than a competition. He sees it as an opportunity to bring gaming communities together and push the industry forward. “There will be a time when everyone is a gamer and for Saudi Arabia to make esports and games a national strategy is just so much ahead of the curve of anywhere else,” he said.

The event is organised by the Esports World Cup Foundation and funded by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. Aligned with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 initiative, the Esports World Cup aims to diversify the kingdom's economy and bolster its global influence in the digital entertainment sector.

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First-round leaderbaord

-5 C Conners (Can)

-3 B Koepka (US), K Bradley (US), V Hovland (Nor), A Wise (US), S Horsfield (Eng), C Davis (Aus);

-2 C Morikawa (US), M Laird (Sco), C Tringale (US)

Selected others: -1 P Casey (Eng), R Fowler (US), T Hatton (Eng)

Level B DeChambeau (US), J Rose (Eng) 

1 L Westwood (Eng), J Spieth (US)

3 R McIlroy (NI)

4 D Johnson (US)

Engine: 3.5-litre V6

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Power: 290hp

Torque: 340Nm

Price: Dh155,800

On sale: now

THE SPECS

      

 

Engine: 1.5-litre

 

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

 

Power: 110 horsepower 

 

Torque: 147Nm 

 

Price: From Dh59,700 

 

On sale: now  

 
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How to donate

Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200

WOMAN AND CHILD

Director: Saeed Roustaee

Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi

Rating: 4/5

While you're here
Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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PFA Premier League team of 2018-19

Allison (Liverpool)

Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)

Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)

Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City)

Andrew Robertson (Liverpool)

Paul Pogba (Manchester United)

Fernandinho (Manchester City)

Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)

Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)

Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)

Sadio Mane (Liverpool)

Race card

6.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (Dirt) 1.600m

7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 2,000m

7.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,600m

8.15pm: The Garhoud Sprint Listed (TB) Dh 132,500 (D) 1,200m

8.50pm: The Entisar Listed (TB) Dh 132,500 (D) 2,000m

9.25pm: Conditions (TB) Dh 120,000 (D) 1,400m

The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont

Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950

Engine 3.6-litre V6

Gearbox Eight-speed automatic

Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm

Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm

Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km

Sinopharm vaccine explained

The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades. 

“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.

"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."

This is then injected into the body.

"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.

"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."

The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.

Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.

“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.

Where to donate in the UAE

The Emirates Charity Portal

You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.

The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments

The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.

Al Noor Special Needs Centre

You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.

Beit Al Khair Society

Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.

Dar Al Ber Society

Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.

Dubai Cares

Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.

Emirates Airline Foundation

Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.

Emirates Red Crescent

On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.

Gulf for Good

Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.

Noor Dubai Foundation

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).

Our legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants

Results:

5pm: Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m | Winner: AF Tahoonah, Richard Mullen (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)

5.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 1,400m | Winner: Ajwad, Gerald Avranche, Rashed Bouresly

6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m | Winner: RB Lam Tara, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel

6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m | Winner: Duc De Faust, Szczepan Mazur, Younis Al Kalbani

7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Dh70,000 2,200m | Winner: Shareef KB, Fabrice Veron, Ernst Oertel

7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh90,000 1,500m | Winner: Bainoona, Pat Cosgrave, Eric Lemartinel

Tonight's Chat on The National

Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.

Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster with a decades-long career in TV. He has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others. Karam is also the founder of Takreem.

Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.

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Updated: July 02, 2024, 1:17 PM`