40 Teams Join 2025 Esports World Cup Partner Program

The Esports World Cup (EWC) has unveiled the 40 esports organizations selected for its 2025 Foundation Club Partner Program, a $20 million initiative aimed at bolstering some of the industry's leading teams, including Fnatic, G2 Esports, and T1.

$20M and 40 Teams: Here’s Who’s In the 2025 EWC Club Partner Program

Launched in February of the previous year, the Club Partner Program seeks to foster sustainability among multidisciplinary esports clubs. After receiving over 150 applications, 30 organizations were initially welcomed into the program for the inaugural EWC. This year, the program expanded its membership to 40 organizations, each eligible for up to $1 million in funding to enhance their brand and audience through content and marketing campaigns leading up to and during the EWC 2025. It's important to note that participation in the program doesn't automatically secure a spot in the tournament.

How Were Teams Selected?

The selection process considered factors such as performance in the Club Championship 2024, potential across multiple games, social media presence, fan engagement, and audience activation strategies. Additionally, eight clubs received direct invitations based on their EWC 2024 Club Championship rankings. This year's program also emphasized growth in high-potential regions, with six clubs from China and new additions from Japan, India, and Latin America. Notably, applications from 20 Chinese teams were facilitated through a strategic partnership between Tencent E-Sports and the EWC.

The EWC, an annual multi-title esports festival held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is primarily organized by the Saudi Arabian government-backed EWC Foundation. The inaugural event featured over 20 tournaments and a prize pool exceeding $60 million. The 2025 edition has already announced titles such as VALORANT, Counter-Strike, and Chess. However, the EWC has faced criticism from some community members, who view it as an attempt to divert attention from the country's human rights issues (esportswashing). Earlier this month, the EWC was also accused of missing outstanding payments to its staff, teams, players, and talent.

Full List of Accepted Teams:

Below is the list of all 40 esports organizations accepted into the 2025 EWC Foundation Club Partner Program:

• 100 Thieves
• All Gamers
• Bilibili Gaming
• Cloud9
• Edward Gaming
• EVOS
• FaZe Clan
• Fnatic
• FURIA
• G2 Esports
• Gaimin Gladiators
• Gen.G
• Gentle Mates
• HEROIC
• JD Gaming
• Karmine Corp.
• Movistar KOI
• LEVIATAN
• LOUD
• MOUZ
• NAVI
• NIP.eStar
• ONIC
• POWR
• REJECT
• S8UL
• Sentinels
• T1
• Team BDS
• Team Falcons
• Team Liquid
• Team RRQ
• Team Secret
• Team Spirit
• Team Vitality
• Twisted Minds
• virtus.pro
• Weibo Gaming
• Wolves Esports
• ZETA DIVISION

As the EWC 2025 approaches, these organizations are poised to leverage the support from the Foundation Club Partner Program to elevate their presence in the global esports arena.