Esports World Cup: Everything you need to know

The Esports World Cup 2024 is a turning point in the history of the sport for a number of reasons - after Esports has struggled financially, the cup seems to have created enough of a response that sponsors are once again looking to esports tournaments. Despite a lot of growth in the sport, it has experienced layoffs and sponsors pulling out. The World Cup seems to have a positive effect and is once again heading in the right direction by symbolising cooperation across borders, clubs and esports games.

What is the Esport World Cup?

The Esport World Cup will be the culmination of 2024 gaming events and is the new generation of the Gamers8 series, launched in 2023 as part of Saudi Arabia's commitment to esports. We're still waiting for the full line-up of games, but we're already seeing an impressive line-up with everything from League of Legends, Counter-Strike 2, Fortnite and Overwatch 2 to PUBG, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Rainbow Six Siege, Rennsoprt and Garena Free Fire.

Qualification will be slightly different for the different games, some will go on direct invitations to athletes or clubs, others will get their place via qualifying events.

The event will take place over 8 weeks in Riyadh, where the entire city will be transformed into a playground for gaming enthusiasts of all ages and from all over the world. Professional competitions, activities for kids and families, concerts and gaming cafes are just some of the things on the agenda for this exciting event.

Teams to watch out for

We haven't yet confirmed who will be attending the event, but Team Spirit, Natus Vincere, FaZe Clan, FURIA Esports, G2 Esports and Team Vitality, to name a few organisations, have already confirmed their participation. IEM Katowice winners Spirit and Gamers8 Counter Strike winners Vitality are other big favourites worth keeping an eye on. We know from previous tournaments that they are big favourites when it comes to esports betting. The esports community is still anxiously awaiting to hear who will and won't be participating as a couple of athletes have cancelled due to Saudi Arabia's controversial internal politics.

Almost all corners of the world are included, with the exception of Africa, which is only represented by teams from MENA (Middle East and North Africa).

Event format and agenda

The Cup will mostly use a single-elimination format, with an opportunity to re-enter the competition. We don't know the details for all the different disciplines yet, but for Counter Strike 2 the tournament will follow an opening round of 14 teams, with the winners being the best of 3 rounds. However, the losing teams will have an extra chance when they meet in a rematch that runs alongside the quarter-finals the winners are in. This ensures a fairer and more even result. We're still waiting for more details, but it looks like most events will follow a similar set-up. The Esports World Cup website doesn't mention an agenda yet, so we'll have to wait and see what the 8 weeks in Riyadh will look like.

Venues and locations

The hall in Riyadh has a total area of 59,923 square metres and contains four separate esports arenas. Saudi Arabia expects the event to attract large crowds to the city and is preparing to create an experience that both focuses on the sport and allows visitors to experience the local culture. Tourism tends to decline in the summer as Riyadh reaches temperatures of around 40 degrees on a daily basis, but with the event taking place mostly indoors, organisers are not worried. It is advisable to book flights and hotels as soon as the dates and details are finalised as tickets are expected to disappear quickly.

Where can you watch the event?

The Esports World Cup website mentions that they are working to get all major channels on board to stream the event. Specifically mentioned are Twitch, Youtube and Huya. Most likely, most sports betting sites will also stream the event, making it easier to take part in the excitement from home. The Esports World Cup is already attracting so much attention that it shouldn't be a problem to find a streaming service so you can all find your favourites!

Betting on the Esports World Cup

Now that it's getting closer, betting sites are getting ready for the esports event of the century. That means it's time to get your profiles ready too! It's a good idea to check that you've verified all documents, or make deposits in advance so that you know you won't get stuck in any security procedures the betting sites will have to implement now that there will be many new players.

As mentioned, it is expected that many of the betting sites will live stream the matches so that it will be easy to follow the favourites and at the same time familiarise yourself with how to bet on the different sports. It's a good idea to check the types of bets on offer for the sports you're following in advance so that you're in full control and can sit back and enjoy the match and share in the excitement.

Preparing for the Esports World Cup

To get the most out of the event, it is recommended that you first and foremost participate in fan clubs, online forums and the like. Here you can get a lot of good information, some "inside tips", talk to other fans and get the latest news. If you're travelling to Riyadh, look forward to it! Be ready for warm weather and exciting culture, architecture and maybe even a trip to the desert? There's going to be a lot going on and everyone is looking forward to getting more details. Don't forget to sign up for events as they come up so you can get the most out of the experience.

Now it's time to get excited!

Now it's time to look forward to July! The dates haven't been finalised yet, and there are several things that need to be put in place. We recommend that you keep a close eye on the various channels that will be posting information in due course, and of course Esports World Cup's own website.

This means a lot for esports, and with such high prizes, it is predicted that it can help to save the sport from the downturn it has experienced recently. The community is confident that this will be a fantastic event with something for everyone.