StarzPlay secures multi-year media rights deal with Saudi-backed Professional Fighters League

RIYADH: The Esports World Cup Foundation announced on Thursday a record-breaking prize pool of more than $70 million for the 2025 edition of the Esports World Cup, which returns to Riyadh from July 7 to Aug. 24.
The pot is the largest in esports history, solidifying the EWC’s reputation as the ultimate global stage for competitive gaming and a key driver of long-term industry sustainability.
The massive increase in prize money, which is up $10 million from last year’s inaugural event, is driven by the foundation’s ambition to provide life-changing opportunities for players and clubs, while fostering stable and scalable careers across the esports ecosystem, organizers said.
“The record-breaking $70+ million prize pool, along with our commitment to the Club Partner Program and our multi-year publisher agreements, is a privilege to announce and validation of our purpose to elevate the industry, by giving players, clubs, publishers and all other stakeholders the stability needed to invest for future success,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation.
“While more than $70 million is an incredible, life-changing sum, it’s always aligned with a long-term vision rather than short-term impact. It’s not just to have more money at stake, but to create opportunities for everyone at every level of the ecosystem, and strengthen the industry for generations to come.”
This year’s event will feature 25 tournaments across 24 titles, including new additions such as chess, Crossfire, FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves and VALORANT.
More than 2,000 elite players and 200 top esports clubs are expected to take part in what is set to be the largest multi-title competition ever held. Tickets are now on sale at the tournament’s website.
A cornerstone of the prize distribution is the EWC Club Championship, which will allocate $27 million of the total prize pool to the top 16 performing clubs across all games. The winning club will take home $7 million.
The remainder of the fund will be split between individual Game Championships — collectively worth more than $38 million — alongside a $450,000 MVP Award pool and more than $5 million dedicated to qualifiers on the “Road to EWC.”
Last year’s event drew more than 500 million online viewers and 2.6 million in-person attendees to Riyadh’s Boulevard City, according to organizers.
Team Falcons emerged victorious in 2024’s inaugural Club Championship, amassing 5,665 points with 10 top-three finishes, including three first-place victories.
“Winning the Club Championship crown and $7 million at the inaugural Esports World Cup was a defining moment for Team Falcons,” said Mosaad Al-Dossary, CEO of the team.
“The opportunity to compete in front of our home fans, where they made the arenas shake with every great play, motivated us like never before, and it was an honor to secure the victory for them. We’ve used the momentum and winnings from last year to build on our success and we look forward to continuing that legacy this summer.”
Team Liquid, who finished second in 2024, also sees EWC 2025 as a major milestone in the industry.
“Competing at the inaugural EWC contributed to one of the most successful competitive years in our 24-year history, securing a strong second-place finish in the EWC 2024 Club Championship,” said Steve Arhancet, co-CEO of the team.
“With our winnings, we expanded into new games like chess, strengthened our international presence in Southeast Asia and supported philanthropic initiatives. The experience, momentum and rosters we’ve built over the past year put us in the perfect position to claim the championship crown at EWC 2025. We believe this to be our year.”
The Esports World Cup will also see the return of the New Global Sport Conference on Aug. 23–24, taking place during the event’s closing weekend in Riyadh, bringing together industry leaders and visionaries to shape the future of esports and competitive entertainment.

MIAMI: Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and Formula E announced on Thursday the launch of Driving Force Presented by PIF, an educational initiative designed to empower the next generation of engineers, scientists, and sustainability leaders.

The announcement comes ahead of this weekend’s Miami E-Prix.

The initiative will roll out in schools across the US, Saudi Arabia, and the UK, offering hands-on STEM and sustainability education to students aged 8 to 18.

Combining in-person workshops with digital resources, the program aims to engage more than 50,000 students globally by the end of 2025.

The first session took place on Thursday at Keys Gate Charter School in South Florida, where up to 90 students took part in interactive workshops designed to ignite their curiosity in motorsport, engineering, and green technology.

The debut aligns with PIF’s broader mission of accelerating the development of sustainable electric mobility through its E360 partnership, which unites three high-profile electric racing series: Formula E, Extreme H, and E1 electric powerboat racing.

Alejandro Agag, founder and chairman of Formula E, Extreme H and E1, praised the initiative’s scope and ambition.

“Since introducing the PIF E360 partnership last year, Formula E and PIF continue to look for opportunities to make a positive, real-world impact,” he said.

“Driving Force Presented by PIF is an example of how PIF is not only elevating motorsports but also inspiring the next generation of talent through STEM education, which plays a crucial role in the future of sustainable mobility and green technology.”

Mohammed Al-Sayyad, head of corporate brand at PIF, echoed the sentiment.

“PIF is committed to supercharging the growth and transformation of electric motorsport, and through our partnership with E360, we are collaborating with our partners to accelerate progress, maximize impact, and deliver powerful unified programs,” he said.

“For the first time, we are bringing together Formula E, Extreme H and E1 to expand the Driving Force program and drive transformative impact by empowering youth who are the innovators of tomorrow,” he added.

The launch of Driving Force also marked the beginning of “Supercharged,” a new PIF campaign designed to amplify innovation and sustainability through the E360 platform, with a focus on driving technological advancement and positioning green innovation at the heart of future mobility solutions.