The Esports World Cup (EWC) is considered the largest esports event ever held. While the government showcased tournaments from various popular esports titles in its first edition this year, one notable absence was VALORANT.
Image Credits: Esports World Cup
There could be several reasons for its exclusion in 2024, with the main one appearing to be scheduling conflicts. The VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) in 2024 had a busy summer with tournaments taking place across different regions, leading up to the Champions event in Seoul. The timing of the EWC in July and August did not align with the VCT schedule, making it challenging to include one of the biggest FPS esports titles in the world.
However, with EWC 2025 confirmed to be a multi-year event with ESL Faceit Group spearheading it, there is speculation about VALORANT’s potential inclusion in 2025. Riot Games has also hinted at the possibility of seeing VALORANT in the EWC.
Could VALORANT be part of Esports World Cup 2025?
John Needham, Riot Games’ president of publishing and esports, addressed this question during the VALORANT Champions Press Conference. He mentioned ongoing discussions about including VALORANT in the EWC, but emphasized that there were no official announcements yet.
Furthermore, in the VCT 2025 announcement, there is a gap between the VALORANT Masters and Stage 2 at the beginning of July. While this is purely speculative, it could potentially provide a window for a VALORANT tournament at the Esports World Cup 2025.
Image Credit: Riot Games
Riot Games’ other major esports title, League of Legends, was featured in a four-day tournament with a $1 million prize pool at EWC 2024. Although Riot Games stated they were not directly involved in the competition, they made adjustments to the LoL Esports roadmap to support marketing and commercial opportunities for esports teams and players, particularly in the MENA region.
If a similar approach is taken with VALORANT, fans can anticipate an international tournament with VCT Partnered Teams to be held in 2025.
