Riot: No Game Changers at Esports World Cup in 2025

Key insights

5 slides

Event overview

The Esports World Cup is an annual, multi-title competition managed by the Esports World Cup Foundation.

The event is operated by the ESL FACEIT Group. Both entities are linked to the Saudi Arabian government.

Licensing model

Any potential inclusion of Riot titles would involve licensing to a third-party organizer.

These events would not function as officially sanctioned events within Riot’s existing league structures.

It's like a band allowing their song to be used in a movie, but not performing it themselves on tour.

Third-Party Model. Riot clarified that any potential inclusion of its titles in the eight-week event would be licensed to a third party and would not constitute an officially sanctioned league event.

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Summary

Riot Games has officially confirmed that the Valorant Game Changers program will not participate in the 2025 Esports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This clarification serves to refute reports suggesting that the women’s and marginalized gender-focused circuit was part of the final lineup for the eight-week tournament, which is scheduled to run from July through August 2025.

Beyond the exclusion of Game Changers, the status of other Riot titles remains uncertain. While internal documents previously suggested that League of Legends, Teamfight Tactics, and Valorant were slated for inclusion, Riot representatives stated that negotiations regarding these titles are ongoing and have not been finalized. Any potential participation by these games would involve licensing to a third-party organizer rather than functioning as officially sanctioned events within Riot’s existing league structures.

The decision to exclude Game Changers highlights the ongoing tension between global esports expansion and the geopolitical concerns surrounding the Saudi Arabian government’s involvement in the industry. Critics frequently cite human rights and social equality issues in the region as significant barriers for initiatives focused on diversity and inclusion. While other publishers have integrated their diversity-focused programs into Saudi-backed events, Riot maintains a more cautious approach, explicitly stating that Game Changers is not under consideration for the 2025 competition.