Esports World Cup Foundation Announces Partnership with IMG to Launch Flagship Broadcast Series EWC Spotlight
Live from the Esports World Cup in Riyadh, the weekly series will blend esports,
entertainment and pop culture to captivate global audiences
Premieres Thursday, July 10 with live performance by Post Malone
at EWC 2025 Opening Ceremony
LONDON and RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, July 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Esports World Cup Foundation has partnered with global sports marketing agency IMG to elevate the broadcast coverage and reach new global audiences for the Esports World Cup (EWC), the world's largest esports tournament and gaming festival, which has returned to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from July 7 through August 24.
The agreement will see IMG provide premium broadcast production, content strategy, global rights management, and international distribution via SNTV, a joint venture between IMG and The Associated Press, for the Esports World Cup 2025. Throughout the tournament, IMG will create and produce over 50 hours of programming, covering the thrilling live esports action, as well as digital and social content, and an original documentary showcasing the biggest teams in the competition.
This includes an action-packed two-hour show, 'EWC Spotlight,' that will be produced live Friday through Sunday every Championship weekend from a custom-built studio in the heart of Boulevard City, Riyadh. EWC Spotlight will blend esports highlights, entertainment and pop culture features, behind-the-scenes access, celebrity appearances, educational segments and unforgettable moments with world-class broadcasting, giving viewers worldwide an immersive, all-access experience with esports' most compelling event.
EWC Spotlight kicks off with a special premiere on Thursday, July 10, including a live performance by superstar entertainer Post Malone, as the Esports World Cup 2025 gets underway with the Opening Ceremony. Hosted by Hugh Woozencroft and Rachel Stringer, EWC Spotlight will welcome more than 60 high-profile celebrity, entertainment and sports guests throughout the summer, solidifying the show as the cultural heartbeat of the Esports World Cup for fans around the world.
"With EWC Spotlight, we're creating a new gateway into esports, not just for the millions already engaged, but for the billions yet to discover their passion for competitive gaming," said Ralf Reichert, CEO, Esports World Cup Foundation. "By blending elite competition, mainstream entertainment, and cultural storytelling, we're breaking barriers between esports and traditional media. Partnering with IMG, a global leader in sports production and content, allows us to show the world what esports truly represents: an evolution in global entertainment, sports, and culture."
IMG has also worked with EWC to develop an international distribution strategy for the tournament's programming and will leverage its network of global media experts to manage the content worldwide. In addition, EWC has appointed SNTV to distribute daily content of the tournament to global broadcasters and media partners via its sports video production and distribution agency, Story10.
Captured using state-of-the-art studio cameras, wire-cams and augmented reality (AR) capabilities, EWC Spotlight's English-language broadcast will be available exclusively to select media partners globally, reaching a potential audience of over 250 million people.
The show will be available for fans to watch around the world on Fox Sports (U.S.), DAZN (16 countries globally), beIN/TOD (MENA), Channel 7 (Australia), TRT (Turkey), Astro (Malaysia), TAP (Philippines), GOAT (Brazil), Nsports (Brazil), Star Times (South Africa), WHATS TV (Spain), HoyTv (Hong Kong), CHZZK (South Korea), DirecTV (LatAm), among others.
Barney Francis, EVP, Studios, IMG, said: "The Esports World Cup is as big as it gets for gaming fans and we're excited to help bring the tournament to fans across the globe through unmissable and headline-grabbing programming. Combining IMG's premium production capabilities and creativity with our team of global media experts and strategists, this partnership enables us to provide an elevated viewer experience for fans worldwide, as they watch their favourite teams and personalities battle it out on a world stage."
The Esports World Cup is the world's largest professional esports event, uniting global gaming communities in a celebration of esports culture. With 25 tournaments across 24 games, 2,000 elite players, and 200 Clubs from over 100 countries, the EWC will feature the largest prize pool in esports history, over $70 million.
For the first time, EWC will feature chess, with five-time World Champion Magnus Carlsen serving as both competitor and official Global Ambassador. Additionally, football icon Cristiano Ronaldo joins as a Global Ambassador, further strengthening connections between esports and traditional sports.
IMG works with some of the world's leading esports organisations, providing media rights representation, brand partnerships and strategic advisory services, as well as digital and production services. To date, IMG has managed the media rights and brand partnerships for more than 20 globally recognised esports events, including EA Sports, BLAST, Epic Games, PGL Esports, Riot Games, the International Olympic Committee and the Global Esports Games.
IMG has also produced innovative programming for some of the world's biggest sports leagues and competitions, including the viral sensation 'UCL Today' for CBS, Ligue de Football Professionnel's (LFP) 'Ligue 1 Show', Premier League Productions' 'The Kelly and Wrighty' show, and the 'English Football League Highlights' show for ITV.
About Esports World Cup
The Esports World Cup (EWC) is a premier annual sporting event and global celebration of competitive excellence and esports fandom. The competition features a unique cross-game format that pits the world's top esports Clubs against one another for the largest prize pool in esports history. Returning to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the summer of 2025, the EWC will bring gaming and esports communities together again to crown the next Esports World Cup Club Champion. esportsworldcup.com
About IMG
IMG is a leading global sports marketing agency, specializing in media rights management and sales, multi-channel content production and distribution, brand partnerships, strategic consulting, digital services, and events management. It powers growth of revenues, fanbases and IP for more than 200 federations, associations, events, and teams, including the National Football League, English Premier League, International Olympic Committee, National Hockey League, Major League Soccer, ATP and WTA Tours, the AELTC (Wimbledon), Euroleague Basketball, CONMEBOL, DP World Tour, and The R&A, as well as UFC, WWE, and PBR. IMG is a subsidiary of TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:TKO), a premium sports and entertainment company.
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SOURCE Esports World Cup Foundation