Riot Games has officially partnered with the Esports World Cup Foundation, the organization behind the Esports World Cup. Under the new agreement, Riot Games will add its three flagship titles—League of Legends, VALORANT, and Teamfight Tactics—to the Esports World Cup for the next three years.
This deal not only introduces three new competitions to the Esports World Cup but also includes a global commercial campaign that will promote Riot Games' top competitive leagues across its three circuits. The partnership will feature in-broadcast activations during global LAN events for LoL Esports, VCT, and TFT, beginning with VCT Masters in Bangkok later this month. VALORANT was not part of last year’s Esports World Cup due to scheduling conflicts with the VCT circuit, but it will be a part of the event moving forward. The release also confirmed that the VALORANT Esports World Cup tournament will not be tied to the current VCT structure.
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While League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics were already included in last year’s Esports World Cup, VALORANT is the newest addition, bringing the total number of tournaments in the event to 23 across 22 games. Details regarding the prize pool and format for these three new competitions have yet to be announced.
Since its inception, the Esports World Cup has faced criticism from some parts of the esports community due to its backing by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and concerns over the country’s human rights record. Riot Games itself has previously come under scrutiny for its involvement with Saudi Arabia; in 2020, the LEC canceled a partnership with Saudi Arabia’s NEOM mega project following significant backlash from the community.
“Riot Games has shaped the cultural impact of competitive gaming, transforming esports into a global entertainment force,” commented Fabian Scheuermann, Chief Games Officer at Esports World Cup Foundation.
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