After Wolves Esports’ unexpected triumph in 2024, Teamfight Tactics (TFT) is making its comeback at this year’s Esports World Cup. The tournament, set to take place from August 11th to 15th, promises intense competition with a $500,000 prize pool up for grabs.
What to Expect at the Esports World Cup 2025
The Esports World Cup (EWC) is a major esports festival backed by Saudi Arabia’s EWC Foundation. Running from July 8th to August 24th in Riyadh, the event boasts a staggering $70 million prize pool across multiple games. Thanks to a partnership with Riot Games, TFT will feature alongside League of Legends and VALORANT for the next three years.
Beyond prize money, teams will also earn Club Points, contributing to their organisation’s overall standing in the EWC Club Championship.
Tournament Format: How the Competition Unfolds
The TFT event is split into two key stages:
Group Stage
- 16 teams divided into four double-elimination groups.
- The top two teams from each group advance.
Playoffs
- A single-elimination bracket.
- All matches are best-of-three (BO3), except the best-of-five (BO5) Grand Final.
Prize Pool and Club Points Breakdown
| Placement | Prize Money | Club Points |
| 1st Place | $200,000 | 1,000 |
| 2nd Place | $100,000 | 600 |
| 3rd-4th Place | $45,000 | 275 |
| 5th-8th Place | $15,000 | 60 |
| Grand Final MVP | $50,000 | – |
Key Dates and Where to Watch
- Group Stage: August 11th – 13th
- Quarter Finals: August 14th
- Semifinals & Grand Final: August 15th
Fans can catch the action live on the official EWC Twitch and YouTube channels. Tickets for the live event in Riyadh are also available via the EWC website.
Teams to Watch in the Tournament
Several squads have already secured their spots through the Asian Champions League (ACL) 2025:
- Flash Wolves (ACL APAC Qualifier #1)
- T1 (ACL APAC Qualifier #2)
- Virtus.pro (ACL APAC Qualifier #3)
- Team Falcons (ACL CN Qualifier #1)
- Weibo Gaming (ACL CN Qualifier #2)
- Twisted Minds (ACL CN Qualifier #3)
Defending champions Wolves Esports will also return, though their recent performances have been inconsistent. After failing to qualify for ACL 2025, they’ve mostly competed in smaller events.
The remaining slots will be filled through the American and EMEA Closed Qualifiers (May 2nd – June 1st) and the Global Qualifier (June 6th – 8th).
With high stakes and fierce competition, the EWC 2025 TFT tournament is shaping up to be an unmissable event for strategy gaming fans.