Black Ops 6 Sets Sights on the Esports World Cup 2025
May 19, 2025.
After a successful showing for Modern Warfare 3 at EWC 2024, Call of Duty is bringing its fast paced mix of aggression and tactics to the Esports World Cup for 2025 with its latest title: Black Ops 6. Last year we saw and EWC filled to the brim with excitement and awe for expertly executed tactics, as Atlanta FaZe slayed their way to the top!
And while Call of Duty isn’t new to the stage, Black Ops 6 is a whole new game that is sure to bring a new level of action to the EWC stage! Call of Duty pros have never let a new game get in the way. If anything, it’s only a test that further proves their adaptability and determination. Now, a new arc begins.
ENTER: Esports World Cup Black Ops 6
It was Atlanta FaZe who overcame their shortcomings at CDL Champs 2024 on the EWC stage to install their key in the first-ever Call of Duty EWC trophy, and take home the grand prize of $600,000! FaZe Clan drop kicked the newly minted Cloud9 in the Quarterfinals and sent the reigning CDL champs, OpTic Gaming, packing in the semifinals. After putting the favorites in the ground, no one was going to steal the EWC title away from the FaZe boys, not even 100 Thieves — FaZe ended up taking the Grand Finals in 4-2 fashion.
But of course, it’s a new year and a new game. With its arena style omnimovement system and a new arsenal of high-grade weapons, Black Ops 6 is a whole new beast to tame. And that’s without even digging into the gauntlet that is the Call of Duty pro circuit this year.
Come time for EWC 2025, who knows who will head in the favorite, and who knows if the favorite has what it takes to win on this stage — Anything can happen!
Dates and Tournament Format
EWC Black Ops 6 is going down July 24-27, and will once again invite 16 top Call of Duty teams to compete!
The breakdown of invites is as follows
- The EWC ‘24 Champ, FaZe Clan
- 11 CDL Invites
- 3 Call of Duty Challengers 2025 Finalists
- 1 CDL 2025 Major IV Challengers Open Xhampion
The tournament will take place in two stages. Stage 1 will be a group stage featuring a total of 20 matches to determine who will make the playoffs. Stage 2 will be an 8 team single elimination playoff run to the finish!
Prize Pool
Just like last year, EWC Black Ops 6 will feature a massive $1.8 Million USD prize pool.
The breakdown of the prize money is:
- 1st place: $600,000
- 2nd place: $320,000
- 3rd-4th: $160,000
- 5th-8th: $80,000
- 9th-12th: $40,000
- 13th-16th: $20,000
As one of the only tournaments that pits Challengers and CDL teams against one another, the EWC is one of the most unique Call of Duty tournaments in the world. Plus its unique timing following CDL Champs offers a rare shot at revenge for teams who fell short there. You aren’t going to want to miss this spectacle!
About the Esports World Cup
The Esports World Cup is a global celebration of competitive excellence and esports fandom. Making its return to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in the summer of 2025, the annual Esports World Cup features a unique cross-game format that pits the world’s top esports Clubs and more than 1,500 players against one another for a share of the largest prize pool in esports history.
