The highly anticipated Esports World Cup 2025 has just announced the elite Counter-Strike teams invited to compete in the $1.25 million prize pool event. The tournament is set to take place from August 20 to 24 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 15 teams earned their invitations with the help of the VRS rankings, so we’ll see the best of the best at the Saudi event.
The prestigious lineup of teams that were handed invites includes:
- 3DMAX
- Astralis
- Aurora Gaming
- FaZe Clan
- G2 Esports
- GamerLegion
- HEROIC
- MOUZ
- Natus Vincere
- Team Falcons
- Team Liquid
- Team Spirit
- Team Vitality
- The MongolZ
- Virtus.Pro
TYLOO claimed the 16th slot. The Chinese squad secured the lone Asian slot by winning the 2025 Asian Champions League event, defeating Lynn Vision in the Grand Final.
Despite looking like a shell of their former selves, NAVI will return to Riyadh to defend their title. The Ukrainian organization lifted the trophy in last year’s iteration, defeating G2 Esports in the final hurdle to claim the grand prize.
Teams that failed to qualify for the BLAST.tv Austin Major, such as GamerLegion and Astralis, will also be present for the event.
Unlike your traditional CS2 tournaments that begin with group stages, the Esports World Cup will immediately start off down and dirty. The event features a no-group-stage format, as all 16 teams are directly seeded into a single-elimination playoff bracket, every match is a do-or-die encounter.
The 15 top teams on the VRS rankings received invitations to the CS event at the Esports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Image: Esports World Cup/X
This high-stakes structure promises unprecedented intensity and demands peak performance from the very first round. No slow starters allowed. The absence of group stages accelerates the tournament’s pace, as the entire competition will unfold over five action-packed days.
The CS2 event at the EWC features a lucrative prize pool structure designed to reward top-tier performance. The champions will walk away with a $500,000 prize, while the runner-up will secure $230,000. Teams placing 3rd and 4th will each earn $100,000, with those finishing between 5th and 8th will take home $40,000 each. Teams ranked 9th to 16th won’t go empty-handed, receiving $20,000 each. This highlights the foundation’s commitment to supporting a broad competitive field.
The Esports World Cup will also feature its tried-and-tested Club Championship Program, awarding a $27 million prize pool to the top 16 organizations. For the CS2 event, points will be granted to teams finishing in the top 8. The organization at the top at the end of the event will be rewarded an astronomical $7 million cash prize.
With top-tier CS2 teams locked in and a prize pool that motivates, the Esports World Cup in 2025 is shaping up to be one of the most thrilling CS2 events of the year. Prepare for fierce competition and unforgettable moments, all happening in the battlegrounds of Riyadh.