Aug 17, 2025.
After four days of jaw-dropping aerials, clutch saves, and nonstop action on the pitch, Karmine Corp rose above the competition to claim victory in Rocket League at the 2025 Esports World Cup. Congratulations to the French club on securing their first-ever EWC championship.
This year’s champions started their tournament run in convincing fashion, sweeping Virtus.pro 3-0 in their opening group stage match. They then faced a major hurdle in American powerhouse NRG, with the winner securing a playoff spot.
Karmine Corp looked dominant early, racing to a 2-0 lead. But NRG wasn’t ready to bow out quietly. The Americans battled back to force a deciding fifth game, where Karmine Corp held their nerve and closed out a 2-1 victory to book their place in the single-elimination bracket.
After a strong 4-1 win over Team Secret in the quarterfinals, Karmine Corp set themselves up for a semifinal clash with home and tournament favorites Team Falcons. The pressure and raucous crowd didn’t seem to bother the champions-to-be as they put aside the Saudi-based squad 4-2.
With Geekay Esports besting Team Vitality in a nail-biting seven-game overtime series on the other side of the bracket, an all-European showdown was set for the final. The French organization came into the finals as favorites, entering as Europe’s first seed, while it was the first LAN finals for two of Geekay’s players.
It was a prediction that Karmine Corp backed up by winning the first three games without conceding a single goal. Geekay managed to get on the board with a 3-1 victory in the fourth game, but that was all Karmine Corp allowed as they closed out the series in the next game.
Karmine Corp laid claim to this year’s Rocket League ft. at EWC 25 title, taking home the $400,000 first prize while also earning their team 1,000 Club Championship points.
SONY MVP
The SONY MVP Award for Rocket League at EWC 25 went to Samy "dralii" Hajji. The Moroccan secured his second consecutive EWC title after lifting the trophy with Team BDS last year. With an impressive tournament performance, dralii led his new Karmine Corp teammates to this year’s championship and, in doing so, earned himself an additional $10,000.
Karmine Corp is the 18th unique club to win a title at the 2025 Esports World Cup. This win elevates the European club to 11th place in the overall Club Championship leaderboard, tied with Team Spirit, Team Secret, and DN Freecs. This is Karmine Corps last title, meaning they will not move up the rankings any further.
Team Falcons and Team Vitality faced off in an important third-place match ahead of the final. The birds of prey took down the European club and prevented them from closing the gap on the Club Championship leaderboard.
The loss was especially devastating for Team Vitality. As the timer hit zero, Saleh Abdullah "Rw9" Bakhashwin managed to keep the ball in the air. In an attempt to end the game, Vitality’s Brice "ExoTiiK" Bigeard demolished his opponent but, in doing so, directed the ball toward his own goal. Evan "M0nkey M00n" Rogez couldn’t save it, handing the series to Falcons.
With the win, Team Falcons almost certainly fended off at least one Club Championship contender heading into the final week of competition. Now leading the standings with 4,700 points and 950 ahead of third-place Vitality, it is highly unlikely the French organization can claim this year’s title. Going into the last week, the Saudi team is represented in all three remaining competitions, whereas Vitality only has one opportunity to secure more points in Counter-Strike 2 at EWC 25.