StarCraft II rejoins the Esports World Cup 2025 lineup in Riyadh as the ESL Pro Tour ends. The tournament brings excitement but reignites debate over Saudi Arabia’s esports investments.
StarCraft II is officially returning to the Esports World Cup (EWC) in 2025, despite the recent announcement that the long-running ESL Pro Tour for the game will be discontinued. The return of the real-time strategy classic marks a bittersweet moment for fans, as competitive SC2 transitions away from its long-standing tournament circuit to a single high-profile event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Scheduled to take place from August 15th to August 18th, the StarCraft II competition will be held during the final stretch of the eight-week Esports World Cup. Details such as the format and prize pool are still under wraps, but if last year’s edition is any indication—featuring a $1.05 million prize pool and a $400,000 grand prize—fans can expect a significant competitive showing. In 2024, Clément ‘Clem’ Desplanches of Team Liquid claimed the championship, with Joona ‘Serral’ Sotala finishing as the runner-up.
The tournament will also be part of the EWC’s Club Championship, a point-based system that rewards organizations fielding teams in multiple game titles. In 2024, this led to Team Falcons claiming the top Club Champion honor. SC2 will join a total of 25 events spanning 24 games, including recent additions like Chess, VALORANT, and CrossFire.
The 2025 inclusion is especially notable following the abrupt end of the ESL Pro Tour for StarCraft II. ESL FACEIT Group, which operated the EPT since 2020, announced the shutdown, citing difficulties in securing long-term funding. Over the years, the EPT hosted iconic events such as IEM Katowice, DreamHack Masters, and ESL Open Cups. In their farewell statement, ESL acknowledged the difficulty of the decision and encouraged fans to look forward to the EWC event for future StarCraft II action.
Interestingly, both ESL FACEIT Group and the Esports World Cup Foundation are tied to Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). ESL is owned by Savvy Games Group—a PIF subsidiary—while the EWC Foundation is funded through a government-backed grant. This financial backing continues to draw criticism from human rights groups and segments of the gaming community, who accuse the Saudi government of using esports to “sportswash” its controversial human rights record, particularly regarding LGBTQ+ rights, women’s freedoms, and military conduct.
Despite these controversies, the Esports World Cup continues to expand. The EWC is part of Saudi Arabia’s broader National Gaming and Esports Strategy to establish the kingdom as a global hub for competitive gaming. Earlier this month, the EWC Foundation announced funding for 40 partnered esports organizations, aiming to boost their operations and long-term sustainability in exchange for tournament participation.
StarCraft II’s return to the Esports World Cup offers both a celebration of its legacy and a turning point in its competitive future. As the game prepares for another global showdown, fans will be watching closely, not just for the action on screen, but for the evolving landscape of Esports itself.
