Tag: EWCF

Mastercard Renews Partnership with Esports World Cup 2025

The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) today announced the return of Mastercard as an official event supplier for the 2025 Esports World Cup, the world’s largest esports event, set to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 7 to August 24. The renewed partnership underscores Mastercard’s continued commitment to elevating digital experiences, championing youth engagement, and supporting the Kingdom’s rapidly growing gaming ecosystem.

Through the collaboration with the Esports World Cup, Mastercard will introduce a range of immersive on-ground activations and seamless payment solutions designed to enhance the overall fan journey. This will include creating a bespoke version of the Mastercard Gamer Academy, where Mastercard, in collaboration with G2 Esports and Esports World Cup, designed a one-of-a-kind experience that will provide 10 successful applicants with the opportunity to be mentored by professionals on how they could pursue a career in esports.

Further, fans can collect Priceless Points by interacting with the games and activities available at the Mastercard booth for the chance to win ultimate gaming gear that will be rewarded to the top scoring players. Further, there will be live appearances by G2 Esports players to be hosted as fireside chats to talk about areas like pro esports. The brand’s presence will emphasize the intersection of technology, gaming, and culture, anchored by initiatives that highlight and support local Saudi talent.

“Mastercard’s return as a partner reflects the Esports World Cup’s evolution from a tournament into a global cultural platform,” said Mohammed Al Nimer, Chief Commercial Officer, Esports World Cup Foundation. “Together, we’re creating impactful experiences that go beyond gameplay, uniting youth empowerment, digital inclusion, and immersive fan engagement. Mastercard’s focus on Priceless experiences and innovation makes them an ideal partner to help us inspire the next generation of gamers and connect with fans in meaningful and memorable ways.”

Saud Swar, Country Manager, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan and other Levant, Mastercard added, “We are proud to deepen our partnership with the Esports World Cup Foundation as we continue to unlock the potential of gaming in the Kingdom. In line with Saudi Vision 2030, Mastercard is committed to connecting people to their passions, driving innovation, and inspiring the next generation. Our priceless experiences help empower youth, promote digital inclusion, and celebrate Saudi Arabia’s vibrant esports culture.”

This partnership builds on Mastercard’s long-standing global support for the gaming and esports industry, including its strategic sponsorship of Riot Games’ League of Legends and VALORANT. It reinforces Mastercard’s leadership in digital payments and its role in shaping future-facing experiences through youth engagement and innovation.

Alongside the tournaments, the surrounding gaming ecosystem continues to grow, including the rise of popular video game marketplaces, where players buy, sell, and trade gaming accounts, skins, and digital goods tied to their favorite esports titles.

The 2025 Esports World Cup will host 25 tournaments across 24 game titles, bringing together over 2,000 elite players and 200 Clubs from more than 100 countries; a level of competition that inspires many casual players to improve their skills through options like Dota 2 boosting services, coaching, and gameplay guides.

To learn more about EWC, visit esportsworldcup.com and follow Esports World Cup Foundation on LinkedIn.

Esports World Cup Foundation and Amazon Announce Strategic Collaboration

The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) today announced a strategic three-year collaboration with Amazon Ads that will combine the Esports World Cup’s (EWC) premier esports and gaming event, returning to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 7 to August 24, with Amazon’s full-funnel advertising and entertainment services to deliver unprecedented fan experiences and expand the tournament’s global reach.

Building on the success of their 2024 collaboration at the inaugural Esports World Cup, which featured the launch of the Esports World Cup Hub on Amazon.sa and Amazon.ae, the expanded agreement will unlock new fan experiences across Twitch, Prime Video, Alexa, and Wondery, and introduce custom branded activations that inspire, connect and engage fans around the world with the action in Riyadh.

As part of the collaboration, EWCF and Amazon Ads will work together to extend the reach of the Esports World Cup across key locales, including the United States, Europe, Brazil, Mexico, the Middle East and North Africa, Turkey, India, and Canada. EWC content will be delivered to fans through live broadcasts on Twitch, an original docuseries on Prime Video, real-time voice integrations on Alexa, and immersive music-driven storytelling via Wondery. These initiatives aim to transform the way fans engage with esports as mainstream entertainment for a digital generation, from competition and storytelling to shopping and social interaction.

In addition to new audience experiences, the collaboration will offer new opportunities for brands to connect with the next-generation global esports audience through Amazon’s suite of advertising solutions. From exclusive content and custom executions to programmatic media and retail integration, creating a powerful storytelling environment that benefits players, Clubs, fans, and partners of the EWC.

“Esports is redefining how a new generation consumes entertainment – always on, always accessible, and deeply social,” said Mike McCabe, Chief Operating Officer, at the Esports World Cup Foundation. “With Amazon, we are bringing esports into everyday digital lives for millions of people around the world — whether you’re catching highlights on Prime, or a livestream on Twitch, or asking Alexa for updates – creating an immersive, multimedia experience that’s shaping its place in global culture.”

Rayan Karaky, Managing Director, EMEA & Southeast Asia at Amazon Ads, said,“ We are excited to continue our collaboration with EWCF to shape how Esports is experienced globally. Our collaboration will power immersive fan experiences across multiple touchpoints and create exceptional value for brands. Through our global services – Twitch, Prime Video, Alexa and Wondery – we will take world-class esports content from Saudi Arabia to the world. This initiative supports the Kingdom’s position as a world-leading esports hub, and the Vision 2030 ambition to be a leader in digital entertainment and technology.”

Returning to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 7 to August 24, 2025, the Esports World Cup Festival will unite gaming and esports communities for a global celebration of gaming and esports culture. With esports tournaments, live music, retro arcades, anime cafes, cosplay, creator studios, and more, the EWC Festival will offer millions of fans exclusive experiences celebrating their love of the game.

The Esports World Cup 2025 will feature 2,000 elite players and 200 Clubs from over 100 countries, competing in 25 tournaments across 24 games for a record-breaking $70+ million prize pool.

To learn more about EWC, visit esportsworldcup.com and follow Esports World Cup Foundation on LinkedIn.