Esports World Cup 2025 Week 1 All Results Recap

GO1, winner of Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves championship, VK Gaming winner in Apex Legends ALGS Midseason Playoffs, and Team Heretics, the winner of the VALORANT trophy at EWC 2025 (image Credit: EWC 2025)

The Esports World Cup 2025 (EWC25) kicked off with a bang in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — and Week 1 wrapped up with nonstop thrills and unforgettable moments.

From July 8 to 14, fans were treated to top-tier competition, wild underdog runs, and an opening ceremony that perfectly fused global pop culture with the high-energy spirit of esports.

The official kickoff on July 10 set the tone. Post Malone headlined the night, while DINO of SEVENTEEN, Duckwrth, and Telle Smith debuted the EWC anthem “Til My Fingers Bleed,” co-written by Alex Karlsson, T.Ma, and Jared Lee. Alesso followed with a fiery EDM set, and Tina Guo brought cinematic flair with her live cello renditions of the event’s musical scores.

Now that the lights have dimmed on Week 1 of EWC 2025, let’s break down all the major tournament results and early-stage highlights from the action in Riyadh.

EWC 2025 All Week 1 Tournament Results (July 8–14, 2025)

1. Team Redline defended its Rennsport R1 title

Team Redline, winner of Rennsport R1 (Image Credit: EWC)

The sim racing showdown at the Rennsport R1 Major was held from July 8 to 11, with a total prize pool of $500,000 USD. Team Redline came in as defending champions — and they lived up to the pressure by making history, becoming the first team to win back-to-back titles in Rennsport R1.

The competition featured nine elite racing squads, including Virtus.pro, Porsche Coanda, and Team Vitality, but it was Redline’s consistency that set them apart. After starting from the group stage, they won three out of four races and secured their grand final slot with two more upper bracket victories.

Their final performance showcased peak synergy, culminating in a $200,000 win and 1,000 Club Championship (CC) points.

2. GO1 claimed Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves championship

GO1, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves champion (Image Credit: EWC)

From July 10 to 12, the fighting game spotlight was on Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, where 16 top-tier competitors clashed for a $1,000,000 prize pool. Japan’s Joichi “GO1” Kishida, representing DetonatioN FocusMe, emerged as the champion after an intense 5–3 grand final against XIAOHAI from Kuaishou Gaming.

Both players reached the finals via upper bracket dominance, but GO1’s cool composure and tactical brilliance gave him the edge. The win earned him $300,000 and 1,000 Club points for his team.

3. Team Heretics won VALORANT trophy in reverse sweep

Team Heretics, winner of the VALORANT trophy (Image Credit: EWC)

The first VALORANT event at EWC ran from July 8 to 13, featuring 16 teams in a high-stakes, single-elimination bracket with $1,250,000 USD on the line. The grand final between Team Heretics and Fnatic turned out to be one of the most dramatic matches in VALORANT history.

Fnatic stormed through the first two maps with overwhelming wins — 13-4 on Lotus and a crushing 13-1 on Sunset. At that point, many expected a clean sweep. But Heretics had other plans.

Regaining control on Icebox with a narrow 13-11 win, Heretics carried the momentum into Haven and Ascent, grabbing back-to-back 13-10 victories. The result? A legendary 3–2 reverse sweep that gave Heretics their first international VALORANT title — redemption after close losses at Masters Shanghai and the 2024 Champions.

Their victory not only earns them the championship trophy and a $500,000 prize but also 1,000 Club Points — putting them in strong contention for the EWC Club Championship later this year.

4. VK Gaming pulled off stunning win in Apex Legends ALGS Midseason Playoffs

VK Gaming, the winner of Apex Legends at EWC 2025 (Image Credit: EWC)

In one of the most surprising stories of the week, VK Gaming from China captured the Apex Legends Global Series (ALGS) Midseason Playoffs title, held from July 10 to 13. Entering the tournament with little hype from the APAC South region, they outshined powerhouses like Ninjas in Pyjamas, ROC Esports, Team Falcons, and Alliance.

VK finished sixth in Pool 2 to qualify for the Grand Finals. While they weren’t racking up kills like other teams, their placement consistency kept them alive. The tension peaked in the Match Point Finals, where teams like NiP, Gen.G, and Wolves Esports all had chances to close it out.

Finally, in Game 9, VK Gaming eliminated Wolves to seal the championship, taking home $600,000, 3,000 Championship Points, and 1,000 Club Points, along with a spot at the ALGS Championship in Japan.

5. Virtus Pro qualified for MLBB MSC 2025 Group Stage

The MLBB MSC 2025 Wildcard Stage ran from July 10 to 13, with eight teams competing for a single group stage slot. Virtus Pro, representing Russia, emerged victorious after defeating Rare Atom (China) in a 3–1 grand final.

Teams eliminated in the Wildcard phase included:

• The MongolZ

• Influence Rage

• ZETA DIVISION

• Entity7

• Team Lilgun

• Umbrella Squad

• Brute Force

Virtus Pro now joins 15 other squads in the MSC 2025 Group Stage, scheduled from July 23 to 27. The full list of teams is:

• ONIC

• RRQ Hoshi

• Team Liquid PH

• ONIC Philippines

• Selangor OG

• HomeBois

• Team Flash

• CFU Gaming

• Ultra Legends

• Corinthians

• Team Spirit

• Aurora Türkiye

• S8UL Esports

• Mythical Seal

• DianFengYaoGuai

• Virtus Pro

6. Dota 2 enters playoff stage after intense group phase

The Dota 2 tournament began with a round-robin group stage from July 8 to 11, followed by an Elimination Phase from July 12 to 13, leading into the Playoffs set for July 16 to 19.

Teams qualified directly to the Playoffs:

• Team Spirit (Group A)

• BetBoom Team (Group B)

• Aurora Gaming (Group C)

• Team Liquid (Group D)

Elimination Phase winners who advanced to Playoffs:

• PARIVISION

• Gaimin Gladiators

• Tundra Esports

• Team Falcons

These eight teams will now face off in a single-elimination bracket, with Bo3 matches leading to a Bo5 Grand Final.

Week 1 of the Esports World Cup 2025 delivered a little bit of everything — historic wins, emotional reversals, underdog triumphs, and a celebration of gaming culture on the world stage. And with more titles set to unfold in the weeks ahead, the action in Riyadh is just getting started.