AG.AL International Claims Historic CrossFire World Cup Victory

AG.AL International (Credit: EWC)

In the final week of the Esports World Cup 2025 in Riyadh, AG.AL International claimed the first-ever CrossFire EWC championship after a nail-biting 3-2 win over BaiSha Gaming in the grand final.

The best-of-five showdown kept fans on edge, cementing AG.AL’s status as one of the most dominant squads in the game’s competitive history.

The team’s path to the trophy was anything but easy. They started strong in the group stage, sweeping Virtus.pro 2-0 and edging out Stallions 2-1 to book their playoff ticket. However, the real test came in the quarterfinals against their countrymen, KINGZERO-eSports (KZ). When KZ opened with a crushing 10-1 win, it looked like AG.AL’s campaign might collapse. Instead, Zhang “ZY” Ye rallied his squad, flipping the script with a 2-1 series win that included a reverse 10-1 finish in the decider. That resilience would become a defining trait of their entire run.

Momentum carried into the semifinals, where AG.AL dispatched Evolution Power 2-0, setting the stage for a historic all-Chinese grand final against BaiSha Gaming. Rivalries between these two organizations have long fueled the CrossFire scene, and this clash lived up to the hype. BaiSha struck first with a commanding 10-1 opener, but AG.AL responded by taking the next two maps 10-4. Just as it seemed the series would end quickly, BaiSha forced a decider, yet AG.AL remained composed and closed out the championship with a 10-3 finish on Port.

The third-place battle added more drama, with Evolution Power staging an impressive comeback against Stallions. Despite trailing 9-5 on the first map, they clawed back into overtime and edged out a 13-11 win. They carried that momentum forward, taking the second game to secure a full Chinese sweep of the podium.

Recognition also went to Meng “Doo” Kun of AG.AL, who was named the SONY MVP. His standout performances, particularly in the final, earned him a $10,000 bonus and an individual trophy alongside the team’s $750,000 championship prize.

Prize Pool Distribution ($2,000,000 total)

Placement	Team	Prize	Club Points
1st	AG.AL International	$750,000	1,000
2nd	BaiSha Gaming	$350,000	750
3rd	Evolution Power	$210,000	500
4th	Team Stallions	$130,000	300
5th–8th	Al Qadsiah • Qing Jiu Club • ROC Esports • KINGZERO‑eSports	$75,000 ea.	200 ea.

This edition of CrossFire at EWC was more than just another tournament — it marked a turning point for the title. Officially added to the EWC lineup in December 2024, it replaced the long-running CrossFire Stars Summer Championship, instantly becoming the new headline summer event. The $2 million prize pool, one of the largest in CrossFire’s history, showcased the global push to elevate the game into the esports spotlight.