Festival Favorites: Week 5 Review

Week 5 of the Esports World Cup Festival brought Boulevard Riyadh City to life with cultural performances, meet-and-greets with beloved content creators and pro players, exclusive game previews, high-stakes tournaments, and more.

Here’s a look at some of the week’s standout moments.

stc Arena

Ricardo Kaká defeats Ronaldo Nazario In EWC Football Showmatch

The two Brazilian legends went head-to-head in three different matches: a standard match, mystery ball, and survival mode. Kaká defeated Ronaldo in all three, showcasing his EA SPORTS FC skills. Everyone in attendance was victorious, though, as it was a joy to see two superstar footballers back in the spotlight during the showmatch.

“Warzone, Call of Duty, of course,” Ronaldo said when asked what game he could beat Kaká in. “Next year, we play Warzone.”

Publisher Park

EA Sports FC 26 Exclusive Trial at EWC

As for Publisher Park, the hype surrounding it was real, as it gave attendees a hands-on trial of EA SPORTS FC 26. This was an exclusive trial, so attendees at the EWC were the first to experience the new gameplay mechanics, player archetypes, and career mode challenges

stc Gaming Hall

King of the Hill: EA SPORTS FC

For folks who wanted to play EA Sports FC 25, the title featured a King of the Hill tournament where competitors had to claim and defend the top spot through intense 1v1 kickoff matches. Under this format, the reigning king faced challenger after challenger, and each victor had to do their best to stay on top.

stc Gaming Hall

Arena Podcast - Faisal AlShatry

The stc Gaming Hall also hosted a podcast with Faisal AlShatry spotlighting the stories of Saudi women in esports. Guests included Malak AlQahtani, founder and CEO of VALAR Club; Ghala AlQahtani, a top talent for Falcons FC; and Anoud Mansour, the Saudi eLeagues champion with AlQadisiah Esports.

stc Gaming Hall

Sonic Racing Crossworlds Open Tournament

Meanwhile, fans of the Sonic franchise competed in a special Sonic Racing Crossworlds tournament, which gave them a chance to try out the game before its official launch. Competitors advanced through the open qualifiers stage before heading into the finals, which featured three popular Japanese influencers joining the action.

Content Creator Park

POWR Meet & Greet

There’s always something interesting happening at Content Creator Park, and Week 5 didn’t disappoint with the POWR Meet & Greet. The dedicated area where this took place not only allowed visitors to meet their favorite creators in real life, have a chat, and take some photos, but also gave them a chance to connect with fellow fans!

Japan Park in Crunchyroll Box

Taiko Taiken by Sai

Japan Park also hosted the Taiko Taiken by Sai event, which featured a live performance on stage. A Sai member challenged the audience to copy rhythmic Taiko drum steps. The activity both showcased cultural tradition and captured the competitive spirit of the Esports World Cup.

Check out the complete schedule of activities happening during the 2025 Esports World Cup Festival. See you on the Boulevard!