The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) and GeoGuessr announced that GeoGuessr will join the Esports World Cup Festival tournament program, a new series of competitive events held alongside the Esports World Cup 2025 (EWC). The Esports World Cup and its accompanying EWC Festival will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 7 through August 24.

The EWC Festival will play host to a Last Chance Wildcard Tournament for the 2025 GeoGuessr World Championship. Taking place during Week 3 (July 21–27), the last chance tournament will feature a $20,000 prize pool and award two spots for the GeoGuessr World Championship later this year in Copenhagen on August 29–30. 16 of the top ranked GeoGuessr players will be invited to compete for the final two places on the global stage.

Celebrated for transforming online exploration into a competitive experience, GeoGuessr joins the EWC Festival as a global fan favorite. Launched in 2013, the geography-based guessing game gained worldwide momentum in 2020, similar to Chess, which also debuts at EWC 2025 this year. Since then, GeoGuessr has attracted millions of players to its browser-based and Steam platforms, connecting players through exploration of countries, continents, and cultures. Using the widely recognized Google Street View, GeoGuessr makes exploring the world accessible to all.

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“We’re excited to welcome GeoGuessr to the Esports World Cup 2025 as part of our EWC Festival tournament program,” said Fabian Scheuermann, Chief Games Officer, Esports World Cup Foundation. “Few games have captured the imagination of players around the world quite like it – its blend of exploration, puzzle solving, and fast-paced competition has turned it into a global phenomenon. Together, we are bringing GeoGuessr’s official tournament to the Middle East to grow global ecosystems, expand opportunities for players and fans, and showcase the diversity of modern competitive gaming on the world’s biggest stage.”

Since launching the official GeoGuessr World Championship in 2023, the game has further elevated itself into a professional esport, with elite players and creators drawing global audiences across competitive circuits and livestreams.

The inclusion of GeoGuessr at EWC represents a major milestone for the game’s competitive scene, placing it alongside iconic titles and opening new opportunities to reach players and fans worldwide. The EWCF remains committed to providing games with strong communities and competitive potential the platform to grow and thrive.

The Esports World Cup Festival is a global celebration of gaming and esports culture. From esports tournaments and live music stages to retro arcades, anime cafes, cosplay shows and creator studios, the EWC Festival invites millions to explore and play together in the heart of Riyadh during the Esports World Cup.

The Esports World Cup 2025 will feature 2,000 elite players and 200 Clubs from over 100 countries, competing in 25 tournaments across 24 games for a record-breaking $70+ million prize pool.

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Thunderpick, the leading online esports betting platform,  announced the return of the Thunderpick World Championship (TWC) for 2025, featuring  a $1 million USD prize pool. Reinforcing its long-term vision for Counter-Strike esports, Thunderpick also confirmed its commitment to continue the championship in 2026 and beyond.  

After the thrilling finale of the 2024 season—where The MongolZ triumphed over HEROIC in a 3-1 Grand Final—Thunderpick is once again raising the bar for Counter-Strike competition. TWC remains one of the largest independently sponsored CS2 tournaments globally, underscoring Thunderpick’s ambition to grow and elevate the esports ecosystem.

TWC 2025 returns with Regional Series events in North America, South America and Europe, culminating in the Tier 1 LAN Final in Malta from October 15 to October 19, with $850,000 USD on the line.

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This year’s championship, presented by Hotspawn (Hotspawn.com), debuts a refreshed  visual identity, featuring innovative production elements and viewer-first features, aiming to deliver an engaging and immersive experience for CS2 fans worldwide.

The full 2025 event schedule is as follows: 

• TWC EU1: April 28 – May 7, 2025
• TWC NA1: May 8 – May 16, 2025
• TWC SA1: June 27 – July 2, 2025
• TWC SA2: July 8 – July 13, 2025
• TWC NA2: July 24 – August 1, 2025
• TWC EU2: August 5 – August 14, 2025
• TWC Finals Closed Qualifier: September 9 – September 11, 2025
• TWC Finals Malta (LAN): October 15 – October 19, 2025

All matches are broadcast live on twitch.tv/thunderpicktv.

“As we head into our third year of the Thunderpick World Championship, our mission remains clear: to provide a world-class tournament experience for players and fans alike,”  said Kelly Sanders, Head of Strategy at Thunderpick. “With our 2025 plans underway and 2026 already in motion, we’re proud to continue investing in the future of CS2.”

In a strategic collaboration, Thunderpick partners with Hotspawn (Hotspawn.com) – the  website built for esport and video game enthusiasts by those who share the same passion.

With an unrivaled dedication to community, the two organizations are committed to delivering the engaging entertainment and fairplay that players and audiences both want and deserve. Hotspawn Editor in Chief Sophie McCarthy said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with the Thunderpick World Championship, an event that is fast becoming one of the most exciting in the Counter-Strike calendar. This partnership is a huge milestone for Hotspawn as we go all in on the biggest tournaments and we’re excited to bring our community even closer to the action.”

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