Get the latest gossip

Saudi Arabia’s Esports World Cup Is Courting ‘Non-Hardcore’ Gamers, Traditional Sports Industry and Showbiz Elite With Stars and More Than $70 Million in Prizes

The 2025 Esports World Cup is in full swing in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with the second day of the second annual video-game-centric competition underway.

This year’s event boasts Cristiano Ronaldo as its global ambassador, Post Malone as the headliner of its opening ceremony on Thursday, and Dino of Seventeen, Duckwrth and Telle Smith as the performers of its new anthem, “Til My Fingers Bleed.” In an interview conducted in May, Variety spoke with Esports World Cup Foundation CEO Ralf Reichert about the events big ambitions and navigating its partnership with the Saudi Arabian government to realize those goals. On a logistical level, as we’re looking at the increasing difficulties in entering and exiting the U.S. under the current presidential administration, and ongoing concerns about travel in the Middle East, how has the Esports World Cup prepared for players and fans to attend the show and what safety measures are in place?

Get the Android app