The Esports World Cup Closing Ceremony in Riyadh will welcome a range of international stars to help bring the curtain down on the largest gaming and esports festival ever.

 

All eyes will be on the Kingdom’s capital city from August 20 to 25 as  the champions celebrate together with Kid Cudi, Sevdaliza and Steve Aoki in a closing ceremony celebrating a historic eight-week run that has captured the imagination of gamers across the globe.

 

Revellers at ‘The Venue’, the new state-of-the-art complex within the area of Boulevard Riyadh City, can expect a party atmosphere filled with live music, fireworks, immersive state of the art technology and an appearance from the Esports World Cup Club Champions.

 

The Esports World Cup, which began on July 3, is contested in 22 tournaments across 21 titles, with a record-breaking industry prize pool of $60 million.

 

Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan, Chairman of the Saudi Esports Federation, said: “The Esports World Cup has put Saudi Arabia at the centre of the sports and entertainment world by setting a new benchmark for excellence. It has united and thrilled millions of people across the globe, transcending traditional sports boundaries and showcasing the potential of live gaming arenas to capture the hearts and minds of fans worldwide.

 

“Record-breaking viewership and participation levels underscore its transformative impact – not only for esports, but for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Esports World Cup is a milestone moment in the aims set out by Saudi Arabia’s National Gaming and Esports Strategy, which was launched two years ago. Our country’s ambitions to become a global hub for gaming and esports by 2030 have moved ever closer with the success of the Esports World Cup.”

 

During the closing ceremony, representatives from the Esports World Cup Foundation, a non-profit organisation that supports the development and growth of the esports and gaming sectors in Saudi Arabia, will formally crown the first Esports World Cup Club Champion.

 

The winner of the EWC Club Championship — a unique and innovative cross-game competitive format that rewards overall event performance — will receive $7 million in life-changing prize money and the prestigious EWC Club Championship trophy, first unveiled during the opening ceremony. 

 

At the closing ceremony, the victorious club CEO will present the EWC Club Championship trophy to the players on stage. 

 

Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, said: “The Esports World Cup has exceeded expectations and propelled the esports industry to new heights by driving growth across the entire ecosystem. I’m immensely proud that we’ve created new possibilities for our sport. As a life-long gamer, it has been a privilege seeing the best players as part of elite esports clubs compete across the world’s best games for life-changing prizes and the right to be crowned the first Esports World Cup Club Champion. 

 

"The Closing Ceremony will be a celebration of these achievements, a major moment not just for esports, but for the entire gaming industry. This event has brought together different parts of the gaming world, creating a strong sense of teamwork and success that will inspire the future of the industry.”

 

The closing ceremony caps an outstanding final Esports World Cup week packed with thrilling esports competition and industry showcases. 

 

Here are the highlights of what is to come:

* August 24: The 2024 Esports Awards, the most prestigious night in esports, will honour the best in esports from every corner of the globe, celebrating clubs, athletes, content creators, games and more. Highlights from the evening will include the Lifetime Achievement mixer, Red Carpet Event, Esports Village and the star-studded awards ceremony itself, which last year attracted over 22 million viewers.

* August 25: Kid Cudi, Sevdaliza and Steve Aoki will perform in the closing ceremony. Two-time Grammy winning artist Kid Cudi boasts a passionate global fanbase and proud ties to gaming, with his music regularly featured in video game soundtracks since 2008. Sevdaliza pushes the boundaries of sound, creating a unique style that is entirely her own, blending elements of alternative pop, indie, trip-hop, R&B and avant-garde music. With nearly four billion streams and over 13 million monthly listeners on Spotify, Steve Aoki is a global music sensation deeply rooted in the gaming world.

* August 24-25: The second edition of the two-day New Global Sport Conference (NGSC) will unite leaders from esports, gaming, business, sports, and entertainment to explore ‘The Future of Fandom’. Thought leaders from around the globe will discuss fandom’s impact on business planning, content, IP and media rights, marketing, and community-building. Speakers include: Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan; Ralf Reichert; Magnus Carlsen, World Chess Champion; Toshimoto Mitomo, Executive Deputy President and CSO, Sony; Lisa Hanson, CEO, Niko Partners; Andrew Chen, General Partner, Andreessen Horowitz; Dr. Songyee Yoon, Managing Partner, Principal Venture Partners, and Sir Leonard Blavatnik, Founder, Access Industries. - TradeArabia News Service