Esports World Cup Reveals Record-Breaking Numbers

The Esports World Cup official social media account has released some of the numbers behind the largest esports tournament in the world.

The reported figures are impressive. It is claimed that there were over 2,500 competitors across seven weeks of competition. Other statistics included:

• Over three million visitors

• Over 100,000 pieces of content

• Over one billion impressions across social media

• Over two billion live stream views

All of these point to an incredibly successful tournament and will certainly fuel excitement for next year’s events.

For the FGC, there was a noticeable increase in the number of viewers for both the Tekken and Street Fighter 6 tournaments. These numbers have strengthened the belief that esports could be a viable venture for the foreseeable future. However, concerns remain regarding Saudi Arabia’s involvement in the tournament, as well as ongoing conversations about the monopoly that seems to be forming within the FGC.

For instance, some of the biggest tournaments in the scene are either wholly owned by Saudi Arabia or operate in collaboration with them. An example is the Capcom Cup and the Capcom Pro Tour for 2025, which were recently announced as being in partnership with the Esports World Cup for the next three years. Added to that is Saudi Arabia’s involvement in SNK’s ownership, their control of the Evolution Championship Series, and other efforts. It seems increasingly clear that more and more of the FGC is being tied to the Middle Eastern powerhouse.

What this means for the future remains to be seen. Many fear that if the new backers of the scene lose interest and pull out, the community could be left stranded.

Time will tell.