There will be a five-day Counter-Strike 2 battle at the Esports World Cup 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 16 top teams will be competing for a $1.25 million prize pool and important Club Championship points. This S-Tier, Valve Tier 1 event will be held at Boulevard Riyadh City from August 20–24, 2025. It will have a single-elimination bracket, which means that every map could be a team’s last. TipsGG has put together this complete guide to the style, schedule, bracket, and important matches.
2025Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Boulevard Riyadh City
The MongolZ
Aurora Gaming
Falcons EsportsCS2 Tournament Format: High Stakes, No Second Chances
This is Counter-Strike at its rawest: single elimination, best-of-three (Bo3) across all rounds, including the third-place decider and grand final. With no lower bracket, every game is a do-or-die test. The map pool – Ancient, Dust II, Inferno, Mirage, Nuke, Overpass, Train – rewards tactical flexibility and mechanical brilliance.
Round of 16 Schedule: Explosive Opening Clashes
The action kicks off with eight clashes across August 20–21 (all times in EEST, UTC+3):
August 20
- 14:00 Natus Vincere vs 3DMAX 1:2 (13:10, 9:13, 11:13)
- 14:00 GamerLegion vs TheMongolz 0:2 (7:13, 3:13)
- 17:15 TYLOO vs Astralis 2:1 (8:13, 13:7, 13:10)
- 17:15 Team Vitality vs Team Liquid 2:0 (13:11, 19:16)
- 20:30 FaZe Clan vs Aurora Gaming 1:2 (13:6, 3:13, 7:13)
- 20:30 Heroic vs Team Spirit 2:1 (5:13, 13:3, 16:14)
August 21
- 14:00 MOUZ vs Virtus.pro 2:1 (6:13, 13:4, 13:10)
- 14:00 G2 Esports vs Team Falcons 0:2 (9:13, 7:13)
- Convenient interface and many languages
- Bonus system
- Easy registration
Playoff Bracket: The Path to Glory
Here’s how the tournament unfolds:
Quarterfinals (Aug 21–22, 17:30 EEST)
- 17:15 3DMAX vs TheMongolz 1:2 (9:13, 13:9, 8:13)
- 20:30 Vitality vs TYLOO
- 17:30 MOUZ vs Falcons
- 20:45 Aurora vs Heroic
Semifinals (Aug 23, 17:30 EEST)
- QF1 Winner vs QF2 Winner
- QF3 Winner vs QF4 Winner
Finals (Aug 24)
- 10:00 – Third Place Match: Semifinal losers face off.
- 13:00 – Grand Final: Semifinal winners battle for $500,000 and 1,000 Club Championship points.
Where to Watch
On the Esports World Cup’s Twitch and YouTube sites, all games are streamed live, and regional restreams are also available. Boulevard Riyadh City, a place designed for global gaming events, is where the action takes place. Check Esports Charts or the official EWC site for live stats and numbers on how many people watched.
Also read: Esports World Cup 2025: Counter-Strike 2 Prize Pool Breakdown
Final Words from TipsGG
The Esports World Cup 2025 CS2 is a five-day race where heroes are made and underdogs become favorites. Every round is like a storybook, with $1.25M, Club Championship points, and the chance to be the best in the world on the line. Will Vitality take back control? Can TYLOO shock Astralis once more? Will Spirit, NAVI, or even TheMongolz take the crown?