Esports World Cup Closing Ceremony Celebrates Team Falcons
Aug 25, 2025.
More than 2,000 competitors traveled to the 2025 Esports World Cup to battle not only for millions in prize money, but also for glory. The closing ceremony honored their achievements and celebrated Team Falcons as the Club Championship winner.
A closing ceremony to remember
The closing ceremony officially began with a trophy presentation for the Club Championship winners, Team Falcons.
The CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, Ralf Reichert, first took the stage at a revamped Qiddiya Esports Arena to highlight the accomplishments of the top three clubs in the Club Championship rankings. To officially present the Club Championship trophy, EWC global ambassador and world-class football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, along with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, joined the stage to celebrate Team Falcons’ victory.
A triumphant march from Qiddiya Esports Arena to Times Square 2 in Boulevard Riyadh City followed, with thousands of fans cheering both in person and from around the globe. Players from across the club, including Counter-Strike 2 and Rocket League stars Nikola "NiKo" Kovač and Yazeed Abdullah "Kiileerrz" Bakhashwin, crowded the stage in front of a raucous crowd.
“We expected a tougher competition this year because everyone knew our story of how we won last year. I think we now have a strong core. We’ve spent the last two years building that core across multiple game titles, and we’ll continue to sign more champions,” said Team Falcons’ CEO Musaed "Msdossary" Al-Dossary. “The goal is to keep winning, and that’s why the Falcons are here. We’ll take a well-deserved break, but we’ll also review our performance to see how we can make the Falcons even better.”
With thunderous fireworks celebrating Team Falcons’ victory, the closing ceremony came to an end.
Team Falcons’ road to the Club Championship
After competing across 22 competitions, Team Falcons secured a second Club Championship title, amassing a total of 5,200 points. Their medal haul included six podium finishes: one gold, two silver, and three bronze. Third-place finishes in PUBG Battlegrounds, Rocket League, and Counter-Strike 2 earned them 500 points each, while their Chess and Dota 2 runner-up performances added 750 points.
Their lone gold medal came from an unforgettable victory in the OWCS: Midseason Championship at 2025 Esports World Cup, where they earned 1,000 CC points for an incredible shutout over Al Qadsiah.
What makes this triumph especially remarkable is that Team Falcons qualified for the Overwatch 2 competition through the Last Chance Qualifier. For this rare achievement, they not only claimed $400,000 in prize money but also became just the second-ever recipient of the prestigious Jafonso Award, reserved for champions who advance from the LCQ. On top of that, the Overwatch 2 roster received an additional $50,000 bonus and a permanent mark on the EWC Totem.
A roaring Falcons support group
Fan support for Team Falcons was impossible to miss over the past eight weeks. From thunderous drumbeats to a chorus of chants echoing through every venue, Falcons fans turned Boulevard Riyadh City into a sea of green and white. Their energy was especially felt during Overwatch 2, EA SPORTS FC, and Rocket League competitions, where their cheers not only filled the stands but often drowned out opposing team chants in the stc Esports Arena.
One last trip around the boulevard
The final week of the 2025 Esports World Cup was about more than just competition. Festival activities and celebrity appearances turned Boulevard Riyadh City into the year’s biggest esports attraction, with fans celebrating Team Falcons’ victories in full force.
One of the week’s standout moments was Hideo Kojima’s appearance at Publisher Park. The renowned game developer and creator of the Death Stranding franchise held a meet-and-greet and Q&A panel for his recently released Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. Kojima’s visit, part of the twelve-stop Death Stranding World Strand Tour 2, drew fans from around the world eager to hear his vision firsthand, adding another layer of excitement to EWC 25’s closing week.
The 2025 Esports World Cup delivered a summer of adrenaline and high-stakes competition to Riyadh, and now you can relive every unforgettable moment. Watch your favorite players and teams clash anytime on the official YouTube and Twitch channels.
