CrossFire Esports World Cup betting picks – August 20, 2025

The CrossFire Esports World Cup rolls into its second day on Wednesday, August 20, with elimination pressure already rising across the groups. Every best-of-three on the schedule carries major weight as early losers fight to stay alive while tournament favorites look to lock down playoff spots in Riyadh.

Day 2 features a mix of powerhouse redemption stories and regional underdog tests. Chinese contenders like AG.AL and BaiSha Gaming aim to keep their dominance rolling, while Saudi-backed Team Falcons and Brazilian-Ukrainian side Natus Vincere must bounce back quickly after opening-day defeats. Europe’s Inner Circle and Armenian-led Virtus.pro, meanwhile, face must-win scenarios to avoid a swift exit.

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  The bookies' bookie

With the US$2 million prize pool and Esports World Cup ranking points still hanging in the balance, Wednesday’s slate promises a full day of high-stakes clashes, upsets on the cards, and storylines that will shape the rest of the group stage.

See our free CrossFire Esports World Cup predictions, with betting odds from the top esports betting sites below.

Al Qadsiah vs Gaimin Gladiators

Best Odds: Al Qadsiah -833.33 at BetOnline | Gaimin Gladiators +406 at SportsBetting
When: August 19, 2025 | 10:30 AST
Watch Live: Twitch

Al Qadsiah come in hot after edging out KINGZERO on Day 1, with Thales “Aktion” de Oliveira and Felipe “Fefe” Marques anchoring a Brazilian-Saudi lineup that thrives in tight late rounds. Their dominance in the CrossFire Brazil League earlier this year has carried into Riyadh, making them heavy betting favorites with the top sites.

Gaimin Gladiators opened their campaign with a gutsy 2–1 win over Twisted Minds, led by Abdulkadir “FLEXX” Yegin and Tiago “LionClaw” Moreira providing clutch fragging. While they face a massive step up in class against Al Qadsiah, their upset potential lies in forcing long maps where their tactical depth can shine.

Qing Jiu Club vs Team Liquid

Best Odds: Qing Jiu Club -144.93 at BetOnline | Team Liquid +101 at BetOnline
When: August 19, 2025 | 10:30 AST
Watch Live: Twitch

Qing Jiu Club, led by Huang “Yu” Chuyu and Jin “Koi” Zhaoyang, dominated ROC Esports 2–0 on opening day with clinical map control on Port and Sub Base. Their proven consistency in the CrossFire Pro League makes them one of China’s most feared squads, and they enter this clash as narrow betting favorites.

Team Liquid swept EVOS Esports 2–0 behind the leadership of Caio “Goken” dos Santos and Daniel “DANIMAL” Polidoro, who delivered explosive fragging power. With Brazil’s best roster finally finding synergy, Liquid’s firepower and LAN composure give them genuine upset potential in this Group B heavyweight matchup.

BaiSha Gaming vs Evolution Power Gaming

Best Odds: BaiSha Gaming -294.12 at SportsBetting | Evolution Power Gaming +186 at BetOnline
When: August 19, 2025 | 12:30 AST
Watch Live: Twitch

BaiSha Gaming, led by veterans Zheng “Xxiao” Qi and Wang “N9” Hao, demolished Team Falcons 2–0 on opening day with near-flawless execution on Sub Base and Black Widow. With a stacked roster fresh off a CrossFire Pro League title, the Chinese powerhouse enters this matchup as one of the safest favorites in the group stage.

Evolution Power Gaming, featuring Zhang “n1ce” Yiheng and Liu “ZAY” Zeyu, also impressed in their opener by sweeping Inner Circle 2–0 with sharp rifling and fast rotations. As reigning 2024 CrossFire Stars champions, the Brazilian squad carries the pedigree to test BaiSha, though the bookmakers expect them to be chasing from behind.

ROC Esports vs EVOS

Best Odds: ROC Esports -263.16 at SportsBetting | EVOS +172 at BetOnline
When: August 19, 2025 | 12:30 AST
Watch Live: Twitch

ROC Esports, led by Ahmed “SNARE” Salah and Mohamed “Horus” Mahrous, pushed Qing Jiu Club to the brink on Port before falling 0–2 in their opener. The Saudi-backed Egyptian squad has already proven themselves with back-to-back CrossFire West League titles this year and now looks to bounce back against SEA opposition.

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  Fast Payouts

EVOS, featuring Leo “YOB1B” Bito and Michael “KELR” Alfonso, were outclassed 0–2 by Team Liquid in their first group match, showing moments of promise on Ankara before fading late. The Indonesian-Philippine roster remains raw at this level, but their explosive playstyle makes them a live underdog if ROC falters.

KINGZERO-eSports vs Twisted Minds

Best Odds: KINGZERO-eSports -714.29 at BetOnline | Twisted Minds +363 at BetOnline
When: August 19, 2025 | 14:30 AST
Watch Live: Twitch

KINGZERO-eSports, powered by Luo “HAO” Hao and Gao “yf” Yuanfeng, stumbled 1–2 against AlQadsiah Esports on opening day but still enter this match as heavy favorites. The Chinese organization boasts CrossFire Pro League Season 25 champions across its lineup, with Xu “xn” Neng and Ma “B1n” Hongbin adding firepower to a roster that has earned nearly US$900,000 in winnings since 2018.

Twisted Minds, led by Nguyễn “BOQCUTE” Thành Nhân and Nguyễn “Carot” Trung Khang, pushed Gaimin Gladiators to three maps on Day 1 but ultimately fell short. The newly rebuilt Saudi-backed Vietnamese squad plays a scrappy, aggressive style that could test KZ’s composure, but their inexperience at this level keeps them a longshot underdog.

Team Falcons vs Inner Circle Esports

Best Odds: Team Falcons -833.33 at SportsBetting | Inner Circle Esports +394 at BetOnline
When: August 20, 2025 | 14:30 AST
Watch Live: Twitch

Team Falcons, fronted by Đàm “Dola” Việt Hưng and Huỳnh “Icecube” Lý Hùng, were handed a rough 0–2 defeat by BaiSha Gaming in their opener but remain heavy favorites in this elimination match. The Vietnamese roster backed by Saudi ownership has multiple A-Tier titles this year and brings the experience of Mai “Shady” Thanh Phong and Bùi “Rambo” Đình Văn to steady the lineup.

Inner Circle Esports, led by Marcel “AWSM” Hupp and Shehab “Alucard” Hossam, fell 0–2 to Evolution Power Gaming and now face a survival test. The European squad has proven its ceiling with a third-place finish at CrossFire West League 2025, but their inconsistency against elite opponents makes them a dangerous yet volatile underdog.

Team Stallions vs AG.AL

When: August 20, 2025 | 16:30 AST
Watch Live: Twitch

Team Stallions, formerly known as UBECmaniacGT, stunned Natus Vincere 2–1 on Day 1 with clutch plays from Juan “Juan1” Perez and Ken Louise “kLb” Belgida. The Philippine lineup, backed by new Saudi ownership, has been steadily rising in Southeast Asia and now looks to prove themselves against one of China’s most decorated squads.

AG.AL cruised past Virtus.pro 2–0 in their opener, with Yang “Jwei” Jiawei and Zhang “ZQ” Qian leading the way in a commanding display. The Chinese giants boast multiple CrossFire Pro League championships and bring a battle-hardened roster that thrives in high-pressure best-of-threes.

Natus Vincere vs Virtus.pro

When: August 20, 2025 | 16:30 AST
Watch Live: Twitch

Natus Vincere dropped their opener 2–1 to Team Stallions despite strong moments from Adriano “adrF” Faria and João Vitor “JV” Silva. The Brazilian-Ukrainian lineup has the firepower to make a lower bracket run, but defensive lapses on Ankara and Port exposed gaps they’ll need to tighten quickly in this elimination match.

Virtus.pro were outclassed 2–0 by AG.AL on Day 1, with Phạm Văn “HIEUMEO” Hiếu and Lương Đức “LDX” Tuấn unable to find impact against China’s tactical setups. The Vietnamese-Armenian squad has shown flashes in domestic play, but they’ll need a dramatic step up in coordination if they’re to avoid a swift exit in Riyadh.