Esports World Cup Foundation Announce 30 Teams Involved In EWCF Support Program

On Monday the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) announced the addition of 30 esports organisations from across the globe to the EWCF Support Program. The aim of the program is to promote the creation of sustainable infrastructure for esports organisations by allowing them to expand into new titles and markets.

The support program provides significant six figure funding to participating organisations to allow them to enter into new esports titles, allowing the teams to provide more opportunities for their members. It also allows teams to re-enter esports titles they are already established in, and to promote themselves in international markets by signing players and rosters to their organisation from across the globe.

The selection process for the teams involved an open application period in February 2024, where eight teams were selected out of over 150 applications. The EWCF stated that the applications were judged on the club’s esports pedigree, its strategy and goals for the future, and their creative approach to content and engaging fans. The current list of teams involved in the program come from five major esports regions - Asia, Europe, the Middle East, North America and South America - and includes three UK based teams: Fnatic, Guild Esports and Tundra Esports.

EWCF Support Program Members Prepare To Qualify For Esports World Cup

The EWCF has said that they have already seen success with some of the participating clubs re-entering titles they are already established in, as well as entering new genres and increasing fan engagement across the globe. Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, expressed his excitement about cheering on the teams within the program as they work to qualify for the upcoming Esports World Cup in Qiddiya, Saudi Arabia, which has a staggering $60 million prize pool.

However, participation in the EWCF Support Program does not guarantee the team's participation in the Esports World Cup, with each organisation being required to qualify on their own merits for each title. Regardless of whether they qualify for the World Cup, each organisation involved in the program is still eligible for annual financial rewards based on the team's ability to bring viewers and fan engagement to the event.

Amidst industry-wide funding challenges, the EWCF Club Support Program offers a lifeline to esports organisations, allowing them to expand operations and take calculated risks. However, it is currently unknown whether EWCF has any control over how organisations allocate the funds. With the majority of accepted teams being based in Europe and North America, the program reflects the foundation's ambition to make Saudi Arabia a global gaming hub ahead of the Esports World Cup.