Esports World Cup opens in Paris

Paris, Jul 9 (PTI) The first international edition of the world's largest esports gaming event -- the Esports World Cup -- began at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles here on Thursday. Running through August 23, the EWC will see more than 2,000 elite players, 200 leading esports Clubs from over 100 countries, competing across 25 tournaments in 24 of the world’s most popular games for a share of a record-breaking USD 75 million (Rs 716 crore) prize pool. The event follows the largest Road to EWC qualification program in history, with more than 1.5 million players competing across 330 tournaments, publisher leagues and premier international circuits to earn their place on the world’s biggest esports stage. Sporting icons Cristiano Ronaldo and Magnus Carlsen return as Esports World Cup Global Ambassadors, two figures whose careers represent the highest standards of competitive excellence across football and chess. At the heart of the Esports World Cup is the Club Championship. It crowns the world’s best Club across multiple games, rewarding not only star power, but consistency, depth, resilience and excellence across the full event. Of the record-breaking USD75 million (Rs 716 crore) prize pool, USD 30 million (Rs 286 crore) will be awarded through the Club Championship standings. "Competitive gaming has always had great players, great games and unforgettable champions. The Esports World Cup brings them together in one defining annual stage. For seven weeks in Paris, every title crowns its own winner, but every result also contributes to a bigger race: the Club Championship. "That is what makes EWC different. It rewards not only individual brilliance, but the depth, consistency and ambition of an entire Club," CEO of the Esports Foundation Ralf Reichert said. PTI APA BS BS