Twisted Minds Crowned Call of Duty: Warzone Champions at Esports World Cup 2025
- Sagar Mankar
- Aug 11
- 2 min read
Twisted Minds have clinched their first-ever Call of Duty: Warzone title, taking home the Esports World Cup 2025 trophy after an intense 10-game grand final on Sunday.
This also marks the first major LAN tournament win for all three players on the roster — Aydan Conrad, Riley “zSmit” Smith, and Benjamin Rosendahl — despite each having long-standing reputations in the competitive Warzone scene.
All three had competed in the 2024 edition of the Esports World Cup with different teams, but it wasn’t until they united under the Saudi Arabian organization Twisted Minds that they transformed their potential into victory.
Their journey to the championship started in the North American Qualifier, where they entered as the fourth seed from the region. The group stage saw them secure third place, booking their ticket straight to the finals without needing the last-chance bracket.
That momentum carried over to the decisive matches, where Twisted Minds delivered 5 top-four finishes in the first six games. This early dominance put them on match point alongside Virtus.pro, but with other squads targeting both teams, the winning blow didn’t land until Game 10 — sealing their championship run.
The win not only grants Twisted Minds the $250,000 top prize, but also 1,000 Club Championship points, placing them fifth overall and within striking distance of Virtus.pro. With five more titles still to play at the Esports World Cup 2025, the team has a realistic shot at making a late push for the Club Championship crown.
For the players, however, the title itself is priceless. “It’s my first LAN victory, you know, it means a lot to me,” said Conrad after the match (via Arab News). “To have people in the stands watching, rooting for us — shout out to Twisted Minds and to everyone here, because without y’all, this is not possible.”
Smith, who claimed the Sony MVP Award for his standout plays, echoed that sentiment. “This is your goal — you start playing five years ago to win on the big stage, that’s where you want to be. I know right now this is the best team I’ve ever played with.” His MVP honor also came with a $10,000 bonus and a medal recognizing his performance.
Full Prize Pool Distribution – COD: Warzone EWC 2025
Total Prize Pool: $1 Million
Place | Prize (USD) | Club Points | Team |
1st | $250,000 | 1,000 | Twisted Minds |
2nd | $150,000 | 750 | Gentle Mates |
3rd | $100,000 | 500 | Virtus.pro |
4th | $75,000 | 300 | 100 Thieves |
5th | $60,000 | 200 | Team Falcons |
6th | $50,000 | 150 | Team Vision |
7th | $43,000 | 100 | AG.AL |
8th | $37,000 | 50 | FaZe Clan |
9th | $32,000 | – | ROC Esports |
10th | $28,000 | – | CT Gaming |
11th | $24,000 | – | EVOS Esports |
12th | $22,000 | – | Leviatán |
13th | $20,000 | – | XO Esports |
14th | $18,000 | – | NOVO Esports |
15th | $16,000 | – | Inner Circle |
16th | $15,000 | – | KOI |
17th | $14,000 | – | FiveFears |
18th | $13,000 | – | Fnatic |
19th | $12,000 | – | Victory Kills All |
20th | $11,000 | – | 9z Team |
21st | $10,000 | – | Gamax Esports |
The Warzone finals were a major draw for viewers, too. According to Esports Charts, the tournament peaked at 312,000 viewers — more than double last year’s numbers — with an average of 123,678 viewers across over 21 hours of broadcast time.
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