Esports World Cup 2025 has passed 150 million hours watched, with both big titles and fresh games fuelling its rise in viewership.
Esports World Cup 2025 has passed 150 million hours watched, with both big titles and fresh games fuelling its rise in viewership.
Esports World Cup 2025 has surpassed 150 million hours watched, underlining just how fast the Saudi-hosted multi-game event has climbed the ranks of global esports viewership.
The series now sits firmly inside the top 25 most-watched esports circuits of all time, a significant feat considering this is only its second year running. And with more than five weeks of play still ahead, industry watchers expect that number to keep climbing.
While big titles like VALORANT, League of Legends, and Dota 2 are expected to drive massive peaks in the coming weeks, it’s the diversity of games on the EWC calendar that’s helping push total hours watched higher.
Fatal Fury, for instance, became the fighting game’s most popular event to date after pulling in 60,529 peak viewers during its grand final.
The new instalment, launched in April, used the EWC stage to attract fresh attention, with Japanese veteran GO1 defeating China’s Xiaohai in a tense comeback to claim the $300,000 top prize. The match was not only a career-defining moment for GO1 but also proof that the EWC can help emerging games break into the esports mainstream.
Meanwhile, in the racing genre, Rennsport enjoyed its best viewership ever during its EWC 2025 event. BMW M Team Redline defended their title and claimed $200,000, helping the tournament record almost 190,000 hours watched across four days.
Although it didn’t hit the same peaks as some of the larger titles, the event’s consistency showed how even niche esports can carve out solid audiences under the EWC umbrella.
Despite the strong numbers from newer games, it’s the heavy hitters still on the schedule that could propel the EWC past 200 million hours watched. League of Legends is just getting underway, while Dota 2, Free Fire, and Honor of Kings are all entering crucial stages expected to draw major international viewership.
With the finals and playoffs of these top-tier events still ahead, the Esports World Cup is on track to finish the summer as one of the biggest multi-game spectacles the industry has ever seen, continuing to set new benchmarks for hours watched and proving that there’s plenty of room for both established giants and new contenders in the global esports spotlight.