An overview for EWC 2025: A lifeline for struggling teams
The Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025 is set to be a game-changer for the industry. While it will showcase the best teams from around the world, its impact will reach far beyond the competition.
With many esports clubs facing rising costs and shrinking funds, the EWC Club Partner Program offers a rare lifeline. By giving teams a chance to earn through marketing, content, and fan engagement, the event aims to push the drive towards long-term growth.
How the program works
The Club Partner Program pays 40 teams based on how well they promote the event, which includes content creation, social media reach, and fan engagement. The more creative and active a team is, the bigger their payout. Even smaller clubs can thrive by running smart, engaging campaigns, even if they don't win many matches.
Hans Jagnow, Director of Team and Player Relations for the EWC Foundation said, ‘It’s all about putting fans at the centre, connecting them with the EWC storylines of their favourite Clubs and players, and enabling them to expand their brands through these opportunities. Last but not least, we have more Clubs while maintaining a strong funding level, setting the partnership up for overall growth with our investment’.
For top clubs, this is a huge shift as they no longer have to rely on tournament wins to stay fruitful. Instead, they can focus on their brand. By creating content, boosting their social media presence, and building stronger fan ties, teams can now earn a stable income.
What’s inside the program?
The EWC 2025 will be a major event in gaming, bringing together the best players worldwide. It will be held over eight weeks in Boulevard City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, featuring 25 esports games, each with its own rules and prize pools.
The event will include different types of games, such as first-person shooters, battle royales, MOBAs, and sports games. Some confirmed games are:
- Valorant: Matches will run from July 8 to July 13.
- League of Legends (LoL): Matches will take place from July 16 to July 20.
Fans can watch the games live in Riyadh or stream them online on EWC’s official Twitch and YouTube channels. The EWC 2025 aims to grow esports even more by offering large cash prizes and gathering the best teams and players from various regions.
Expanding the program globally
The 2025 edition of the program is reaching more regions. This time, the EWC added teams from emerging markets, giving smaller clubs a shot at huge money. For squads in countries like India, this is a rare chance to break into the global scene and gain recognition.
The CEO of S8UL Esports in India, Animesh Agarwal, spoke about how the program is a big deal for his team. He said, ‘Being selected as an EWCF Club Partner for the Esports World Cup 2025 is not just a monumental achievement for S8UL – it’s a defining moment for Indian esports on the global stage’.
Bigger teams like Team Liquid, which placed second in the 2024 EWC Club Championship, are using it to expand into new esports. Co-CEO Victor 'Nazgul' Goossens said, ‘Our competitive achievements during the year allowed us to expand into new games like chess, and contributed to our goal of becoming a sustainable company in esports. The participation in the Club Program helps Team Liquid on our path to be a stable long-term and sustainable organization in esports’.
Teams get creative to earn more
The payout system rewards fan-focused content, giving teams a reason to think outside the box. For instance, G2 Esports launched a series of behind-the-scenes videos last year. The content, which featured player training sessions and fun challenges, pulled in huge views. As a result, they earned a larger payout, which is guaranteed to be in the six figures.
Massive wins even without titles
One of the biggest perks of the Partner Program is that teams no longer need to win titles to make money. In the past, only top-tier teams could earn huge amounts. Now, even mid-level and smaller teams have a shot. By building a strong online presence, they can cash in without needing to top the EWC rankings.
For instance, Guild Esports, which did not place high in last year’s EWC tournaments, still earned a solid payout. They used consistent content and regular fan interaction to bring in more views.
More teams will join in the future
According to Jagnow, with just 40 spots for over 200 hopefuls who have sent applications, the process is tough. 160 teams will be let down so there are more people who will not like the outcome of their decision.
For the clubs that made it in, the work has only just begun. They will spend the coming months building content around the EWC 2025. The more they engage their fans, the bigger their payout will be. Many clubs are already planning new campaigns to boost their reach and pull in more viewers.
‘We provided extensive feedback to each Club on how they can improve their application, and since we allow annual reapplications, the next opportunity will come in 2026. This gives a full season to make a strong impression at EWC25 and beyond, showcasing their competitiveness, creativity, and ability to engage fans’, Jagnow added.
A new era for esports
The EWC Club Partner Program could be the blueprint for keeping esports strong. It gives struggling teams a chance to survive and thrive, no matter where they finish in the standings. For fans, this means more content, more stories, and a closer connection to their favourite teams. But for clubs, it means more payouts, more stability, and a brighter future.
