February 11, 2025 | 10:36am
MANILA, Philippines — The Esports World Cup Foundation and Riot Games have officially announced a three-year partnership with Riot Games' titles League of Legends, Teamfight Tactics and Valorant as mainstay titles for the foundation's titular event — the Esports World Cup.
“Riot Games has shaped the cultural impact of competitive gaming, transforming esports into a global entertainment force. With League of Legends’ iconic World Championship — which continues to set new standards for immersive experiences, Valorant’s cultural collaborations, and Teamfight Tactics’ community-driven events, Riot has pioneered an ecosystem far beyond the competition. By bringing these titles to the Esports World Cup, we are not just celebrating elite gameplay — we are, together, expanding esports as a global entertainment movement, creating deeper connections with fans across gaming, music, and digital culture,” said Fabian Scheuermann, Chief Games Officer at Esports World Cup Foundation.
Valorant's absence from last year's inaugural Esports World Cup was noted by fans but was mainly due to a packed esports calendar in 2024. With the partnership, Riot Games hopes to “open the door for more tournaments” while “complementing their existing global schedule”.
“When we made the decision to participate [in EWC] last year, we went into it wanting to evaluate the tournament experience and better understand its benefit to pro players and teams. The feedback we got from players and teams who participated last year was positive. The event’s significant prize pool offered crucial financial support for them, providing stability at a time when many esports organizations were working toward a stronger future,” Riot Games said in a statement posted on their website.
The addition of Valorant, the publisher added, was also due to the demand to see Valorant events in new regions and creating new opportunities for players and noted that participation in the coming EWC for their three titles are optional.
Debuting in 2024, the Esports World Cup is an annual international esports conference that featured 23 events across 22 different esports titles. Last year, the event made history with the largest prize pool to date for any esports tournament — $62.5 million.
