Week 2 Group Stage and Playoffs Recap: Honorable Mentions and Standouts

Week 2 of the Esports World Cup continued with non-stop action across multiple titles. Upsets and clutch turnarounds defined the week as rising stars clashed with veterans in unforgettable matches. Through impressive displays of strategy and teamwork, major wins proved that no fan favorite was safe.

MWI at EWC 25 Group Stage

ONIC Pertiwi sets the stage for Indonesia

ONIC Pertiwi’s advancement through the group stage with 2-0 sweeps became a major milestone for the team and its region in Week 2. With their sharp mechanical skills and teamwork, they defeated FUT Esports in the upper bracket to secure a ticket to the playoffs.

Surprisingly, Xeviola "Xev" Maureen was able to lock in Fanny, and she took full advantage of it. Xev’s exceptional play on Fanny was made possible by Y1PPY’s aggression and Habsyah "Navillera" Maifa’s leadership. All of this set the tempo in the early game, preventing their opponents from denying Xev’s farm and eventually resulting in a steamroll.

LoL at EWC 25 Playoffs

Anyone's Legend gets revenge against T1

Anyone’s Legend swept reigning titleholders T1 2-0 to secure a spot in the grand final. Seeking revenge for their MSI 2025 loss, Anyone’s Legend dominated the first game by shutting down T1’s ADC.

In the second game, despite T1’s late-game Baron attempt, Anyone’s Legend maintained control with relentless combos from Kim "Kael" Jin-hong’s Alistar and Cui "Shanks" Xiao-Jun’s Galio against Lee "Gumayusi" Min-hyeong’s Senna. Meanwhile, Lee "Tarzan" Seung-yong dominated the map, and Li "Flandre" Xuan-Jun’s Yorick stood out with impressive skills in teamfights.

This victory was major because Anyone’s Legend – who combined forces with All Gamers at EWC 25 – became the first team in EWC history to crush T1’s key.

Free Fire at EWC 25 Point Rush Stage

Team Vitality rises from the bottom to the top

Team Vitality made a great comeback during Free Fire at EWC 25, climbing from last place to fourth in a single game. After struggling in the early matches, they locked in on Point Rush with a strong win that boosted their standings and momentum heading into the finals.

Leading the tournament, Core Memory Esports x KOG held first place, followed by Rainbow7 in second and EVOS Divine in third. The fights between Rainbow7 and EVOS Divine especially showcased clever tactics like off-angle sniping and sound fakeouts.

The performance also earned Team Vitality 500 points towards the Club Championship. The French organization now holds first place.

Dota 2 at EWC 25 Playoffs

Tundra Esports steals Aegis from BB Team

Tundra Esports turned the tide of their Dota 2 at EWC 25 match against BB Team with a major Aegis steal in the quarterfinals. BetBoom Team looked like they were going to snowball and take over the map, but Neta "33" Shapira’s Lycan popped Shapeshift and snatched the Aegis.

From then on, Tundra Esports kept shutting down every fight BB Team tried to force.

Tundra Esports’ 33 also used the vision blocker at the edge of the Roshan pit to sneak in. He weaved in and out of vision, took advantage of the lack of stuns, and stole the Aegis before BB Team were able to react.

With hundreds of matches set to take place over the next few days, new legends will rise as champions are crowned and rivals are toppled. Watch the Esports World Cup 2025 live or check out the ticket options to watch in-person this week!