The Biggest Surprises from EWC 25

It’s safe to say tournament favorites had their work cut out for them this summer in Riyadh. We saw returning champions fall in the first round, superstar teams crumble after building commanding leads, and breakout performances from the most unlikely places.

Here are the five biggest surprises from the 2025 Esports World Cup.

Team Heretics shock Fnatic and the world in grand final reverse sweep

The stc Esports Arena rumbled with cheers as Fnatic’s Jake “Boaster” Howlett taunted his opponents during the VALORANT at EWC 25 finals. Fnatic had stormed to a 2-0 lead and was cruising on the third map, Icebox. Most thought the match was already over.

But Team Heretics wasn’t done yet. In a stunning reversal, the mixed-nationality roster led by Ričardas “Boo” Lukaševičius took Icebox and then stormed through the next two maps. It became one of the most incredible comebacks in competitive VALORANT history.

Their EWC title is the first time Heretics have managed to claim victory in a major international final. A curse seemed to be finally lifted for Boo, his younger brother Dominykas "MiniBoo" Lukaševičius, and their teammates after falling short in five previous finals.

Team Heretics end up on the opposite side of a OpTic Gaming-led reverse sweep

We can’t celebrate Team Heretics in VALORANT without mentioning their collapse in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 at EWC 25. The story sounded eerily familiar as Heretics entered Control on Hacienda with a 2-0 lead over Anthony “Shotzzy” Cuevas-Castro and his squad. Victory seemed within reach before the Spaniards unraveled in front of the Riyadh crowd.

Shotzzy clutched up on Hacienda, ensuring his Texas-based team wouldn’t be swept. He wasn’t satisfied, though. The next two maps weren’t close, as OpTic Gaming completed the reverse sweep to take the series 3-2. Brandon “Dashy” Otell rose from his chair with his hands wrapped around his own throat, mocking the epic choke his opponents had just suffered under one of the brightest spotlights in esports.

The returning champions exit R6 Siege X at EWC 25 almost immediately

All eyes were on Team Falcons as Théo "LikEfac" Mariano and company aimed to repeat their success from last year in Riyadh under the Team BDS banner. Their competitors in TOM CLANCY'S RAINBOW SIX SIEGE X at the 2025 Esports World Cup had other plans. The birds of prey first fell to the eventual champions, Team Secret, in a tight 8-6 series. They then suffered a 2-0 shutout against Spacestation Gaming, ending their attempt at going back-to-back.

They weren’t the only returning champions who fell short of expectations. In Dota 2, for example, all eyes were on Clément "Clem" Desplanche, but the Frenchman couldn’t live up to his favorite status, bowing out in the quarterfinals to Kim “Classic” Doh-woo in a surprising upset.

One of the event's biggest knockouts, however, came at the FC Pro World Championship at 2025 Esports World Cup. Early on, everything seemed business as usual. World champion and top seed Anders Vejrgang dominated the lowest-seeded player, Aymane "Fakhr999" Ouardi, sending him to the lower bracket with a commanding 10-2 victory.

But when the two met again after Vejrgang lost the upper bracket final to Francesco "Obrun2002" Tagliafierro, Ouardi played some of the best EA SPORT FC of his career, eliminating the tournament favorite 2-1 and delivering one of the event’s most stunning upsets.

From play-ins to FC Pro World Championship at 2025 Esports World Cup champion

Another major surprise at the FC Pro World Championship at EWC 25 was the eventual winner. It’s not that Manuel "ManuBachoore" Bachoore lacks talent; he’s incredibly skilled. But going from the play-ins all the way to the championship stage is one of the toughest feats in esports. After struggling in earlier tournaments in 2025, few considered him a favorite, and even he could hardly believe it as he held the championship trophy in his hands. His path was anything but easy, especially in the playoffs, where the Dutchman defeated a string of top European and South American players.

VK Gaming take ALGS Midseason Playoffs at 2025 Esports World Cup by storm

The battle royale action was off the charts in Riyadh, highlighted by a high-stakes nine-game ALGS at EWC 25 final series. All eyes were on favorites Alliance, Team Falcons, and other top squads as 19 trios dropped into E-District for the opening match of the finals. Chengdu-based VK Gaming made their presence known immediately by taking the first match win. Eight more games, 96 points, and nearly 50 eliminations later, Cai "Kasssa" Denglang and his teammates were hoisting the trophy after winning the final game of the competition. This win marks one of the biggest upsets of this season.

T1 fails to secure a Midseason Invitational rematch

After falling to Gen.G in the Midseason Invitational final in Vancouver, Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok and T1 looked to set the stage for a rematch at the 2025 Esports World Cup. Expectations were high as the team entered the tournament as defending champions, but T1’s run came to an early halt before the grand final. A strong performance from Chinese team AG.AL prevented Faker and his squad from reaching the championship match. The defeat denied fans the chance to see a revenge showdown between Faker and Gen.G’s superstar Jeong "Chovy" Ji-hoon, who took home this year’s crown in Riyadh.

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.