Esports World Cup 2025 heads into fourth week with four big titles up for grabs

The Esports World Cup 2025 in Riyadh is entering its fourth week with 11 unique champions having been crowned. (SUPPLIED)
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Updated 01 August 2025
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Esports World Cup 2025 heads into fourth week with four big titles up for grabs

  • Eleven champions have been crowned at the tournament so far

RIYADH: The Esports World Cup 2025 heads into Week 4 after the crowning of 11 unique championship winners so far.

In the tournament’s fourth week, the chess title will be decided. With a $1,500,000 prize pool on the line — along with Club Championship points — there's all to play for. Meanwhile PUBG Mobile World Cup will have a new champion after titleholders Alpha7 Esports were eliminated. Overwatch 2 will crown its Midseason Championship winner, while Mobile Legends: Bang Bang’s Midseason Cup final will also take place.

Chess

With a prize pool of $1.5 million up for grabs, the inaugural chess tournament at the 2025 Esports World Cup concludes on Aug. 1. The Last Chance Qualifiers saw 256 players enter, and now there are just eight contenders left. First seed Magnus Carlsen was the clear favorite before the tournament began, with second and third seeds Hikaru Nakamura and Ian Nepomniachtchi next in line. All three qualified from the group stage and now head into the playoffs. Keep an eye on Nihal Sarin, who managed to knock out number four seed Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in the Group B lower bracket final – he emerged from the Last Chance Qualifier and is seeded just outside the top 10. 

PUBG Mobile

An intense week of PUBG Mobile action has seen 24 teams whittled down to 16 for the grand final, with potentially just 14 matches deciding who walks out with the trophy. Defending champions, Alpha7 Esports, had a nightmare start to the tournament, failing to qualify for the grand final in the group stage, forcing them into the perilous survival stage. While many expected them to bounce back, another disastrous performance saw them eliminated in 21st place, meaning a new PMWC champion will be crowned in the coming days.

Overwatch 2 

The Overwatch Champions Series' Midseason Championship also takes place in Week 4, with $1 million on the line. Sixteen teams will enter the group stage, with the top two from each group advancing into a perilous single elimination bracket. With the OWCS: Midseason Championship at the 2025 Esports World Cup happening over four days, expect some top tier action. EWC 2024 champions Crazy Raccoon will be looking to join the two-time winners club, but they will face stiff competition from one of the most competitive fields ever.

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang 

With a total of $3 million up for grabs in the prize pool, the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Mid Season Cup has plenty at stake. After the dramatic Wildcard tournament in Week 1 followed by an intense group stage in Week 3, we are now firmly into the business end of the tournament, with the playoff bracket underway. Only the very best teams remain, with the likes of ONIC and Team Liquid leading the way. With life-changing money on the line, you do not want to miss the MLBB action. 

Club Championship Standings 

As the action heads into its fourth weekend of finals action, the Club Championship is really heating up, with every winner being a unique Club so far. Will we finally see a side claim a second trophy this year in Week 4?

Team Vitality is still leading the Club Championship Rankings with 2,400 points, having not gained in Week 3. Their closest competitors are Gen.G Esports on 2,000, and Team Falcons on 1,950, both of whom gained on Vitality in Week 3. Elsewhere, AG.AL have joined Team Falcons in third place. All but AG.AL are represented in chess, while Team Falcons has a side in the PUBG Mobile event. OW 2 features Team Falcons and AG.AL, alongside Virtus.Pro and Team Liquid, who sit just behind them in joint fifth place.


Saudi Arabia lose to Morocco in final group match of Arab Cup

Updated 09 December 2025
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Saudi Arabia lose to Morocco in final group match of Arab Cup

  • Green Falcons had already qualified for quarterfinals
  • Oman eliminated despite victory over Comoros

DOHA: Morocco booked their place in the Arab Cup knockout stages after defeating Saudi Arabia on Monday, but Oman’s victory over Comoros in their final group game was not enough to keep their campaign alive.

 

Needing only a draw to progress, Morocco took all three points against the Green Falcons, who missed a crucial second-half penalty.

The Saudis, already through to the knockouts, made several changes and began brightly, coming close to opening the scoring inside six minutes when Saleh Abu Al-Shamat’s looping header clipped the crossbar.

Despite the early pressure, Morocco kept their composure and took the lead when Tarik Tissoudali teed up Karim El-Berkaoui to put the Atlas Lions in front.

Saudi Arabia pushed for an equalizer and were handed a golden opportunity midway through the second half when Amin Zahzouh fouled substitute Abdullah Al-Hamdan inside the penalty area.

But the striker’s attempt at a “Panenka” sailed over the crossbar.

In the group’s other match, Oman defeated Comoros but were eliminated after failing to make up the required goal difference.

Knowing victory alone would not be enough, Oman began aggressively, creating a string of first-half chances through Issam Al-Sabhi, Zahir Al-Aghbari and Jameel Al-Yahmadi, only to be denied by profligacy and Comoros goalkeeper Ali Ahamada.

The breakthrough arrived in calamitous fashion just before the interval as Ahamada was dispossessed by Al-Sabhi inside the 6-yard box, allowing the forward to shoot into an empty net.

Al-Sabhi then doubled Oman’s lead with a header just before the break.

Comoros rallied after the break through a fine individual effort from Nassuir Hamidou to reduce the deficit, but further chances went begging and Oman held on for victory.

Despite finishing with four points, Oman bowed out of the competition, while Comoros concluded their debut Arab Cup campaign with three straight defeats.