The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has announced a new Road to EWC program aimed at formalizing and streamlining the qualification process for the Esports World Cup.
Announced on Wednesday, Jan. 5, via release, the new program aims to create a single unified esports calendar linking all qualifiers across multiple games. While stated to create a clear pathway to qualification for the EWC, at a glance, the move seems like a transparent move to monopolize the entire calendar under the Esports World Cup.
The program would in effect, combine all grass roots and qualification online competitions. As described in the release, the Road to EWC would create a single unified global calendar linking “publisher leagues, elite international events, and open qualifiers.”
“Road to EWC brings together the journeys that shape competitive esports,” said Faisal Bin Homran, chief product officer at the Esports World Cup Foundation.
“By creating a defined qualification season, it gives the whole industry the confidence to plan; players can focus on performance, Clubs can commit resources earlier, publishers can align their ecosystems, and fans know when and where the biggest moments will happen. If we keep building together, we will grow the sport in a way that is sustainable, inclusive and truly global.”
In the past, qualifiers for the EWC have been far from coherent. While some titles, like Street Fighter and EA FC, had open qualifiers, with anyone able to enter and make it to the Riyadh-based tournament, others were cemented in existing publisher leagues or placed from arbitrary seeding based on external competition.
In Dota 2, for example, qualification for the EWC is based on the ESL Pro Tour, a series of tournaments including DreamLeague events and ESL One events. Placement in these events earn EPT Points, with the highest EPT point scorers being directly invited to the EWC, on top of the events’ previous winner, and seven open qualifiers.
See also: Upcoming Dota 2 events in 2026
Meanwhile, other events incorporated the EWC into their seasonal structure. Apex Legends treated the EWC 2025 as their annual Midseason Playoff event, using qualification from their EA-backed league.
The Road to EWC appears to be attempting to formalize the structure, with the aim of all esports titles building towards the event.
The Esports World Cup is an event organized by the Esports World Cup Foundation, a non-profit organization established and funded by the Saudi Arabian government. The KSA’s government frequently faces criticism for its abysmal human rights record and the EWC and events like it are often referred to as “sports washing.” The collective prize money awarded at events held under the EWC umbrella is amongst the largest esports prize pools awarded.
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Featured Image Credit: EWCF
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