Call of Duty League Teams Get Direct Invite to Esports World Cup

All 12 teams within the Call of Duty League (CDL) have received direct invitations to participate in the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III competition at the upcoming Esports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This event, scheduled for mid-August 2024, follows the conclusion of the CDL Championship Weekend. While the invitations provide an opportunity for all league franchises to compete, no teams had officially confirmed their participation as of mid-June 2024.

The inclusion of Call of Duty in the Esports World Cup is part of a broader club-based competition structure. Organizations participating in the Esports World Cup Club Support Program—which includes several entities that also own CDL franchises, such as FaZe Clan, 100 Thieves, G2 Esports, and OverActive Media—are viewed as likely candidates to send teams due to the potential for earning points toward a $20 million total prize pool. Beyond the 12 CDL teams, four additional slots are reserved for qualifying teams, with further details on the qualification process and the Warzone competition format pending.

To facilitate team participation, the Esports World Cup organizers extended the roster submission deadline for both Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III and Call of Duty: Warzone to June 27, 2024. This development marks the integration of the Call of Duty franchise into a massive, multi-title tournament ecosystem that features a wide array of global esports disciplines, ranging from tactical shooters to mobile titles and fighting games.