ESL FACEIT Group Signs Multi-Year Deal With Esports World Cup

Key insights

6 takeaways

01
ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) has signed a multi-year partnership to serve as the official operating partner for the Esports World Cup.
02
Under the agreement, EFG will manage tournament operations and broadcast programming for the event starting in 2025.
03
EFG is a subsidiary of Savvy Games Group, which is owned by the Saudi Arabian government’s Public Investment Fund, the same entity funding the non-profit Esports World Cup Foundation.
04
Financial terms and the specific duration of the multi-year contract were not publicly disclosed.
05
EFG previously facilitated the 2024 Esports World Cup by managing global qualifiers across North America, South America, Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.
06
EFG’s operational support for the tournament includes leveraging its existing infrastructure, such as the FACEIT platform and DreamHack event brand.

Summary

The ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) has entered into a multi-year partnership with the Esports World Cup Foundation to serve as the official operating partner for the Esports World Cup. While the specific financial terms and the exact duration of the agreement remain undisclosed, the deal solidifies EFG’s role in managing tournament operations and broadcast programming for the event in 2025 and beyond.

The partnership represents a significant consolidation of interests within the Saudi Arabian esports ecosystem. The Esports World Cup Foundation is a non-profit entity funded by the Saudi Arabian government, while EFG operates as a subsidiary of the Savvy Games Group, which is owned by the nation’s Public Investment Fund. This alignment leverages EFG’s existing infrastructure, including its global tournament circuits, the FACEIT platform, and DreamHack events, to facilitate international qualifiers across North and South America, Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.

EFG leadership characterizes the agreement as a strategic move to foster global esports growth and enhance the future of sports entertainment. By managing the delivery of complex, multi-title competitions and contributing to the event’s product proposition and marketing strategy, EFG aims to maintain a central role in the ongoing development of the Esports World Cup. This collaboration builds upon the operational work already performed by EFG during the current iteration of the festival in Riyadh, which concludes in late August.