Week 7 Group Stage and Playoffs Recap: Honorable Mentions and Standouts

Week 7 of the 2025 Esports World Cup capped off a summer of action with premature pop-offs, dominant comebacks, and a marquee rematch that had Boulevard Riyadh City roaring with cheers.

Here are some standout moments from this week's action.

Street Fighter 6 at 2025 Esports World Cup Group Stage

A premature pop off from Victor "Punk" Woodley

In one of two “Groups of Death,” EVO 2024 champion Victor “Punk” Woodley faced off against EWC 2024 champion Zeng “Xiaohai” Zhuojun. Punk reached match point with a 2-0 lead, but Xiaohai battled back to tie the series 2-2.

Xiaohai held a sizable HP lead in game five, but in the final moments, Punk landed a Critical Art that seemed to seal the set. Punk got up to celebrate, but Xiaohai survived with a sliver of health and pulled off an impossible comeback to complete the reverse sweep. Even Xiaohai’s wife, watching from the audience, was left stunned by his clutch victory.

The lesson? Always finish your food. Never pop off until you see the K.O. screen.

Street Fighter 6 at 2025 Esports World Cup Quarterfinals

A FATAL FURY: COTW at EWC 25 finals rematch

It was a clash of champions in the quarterfinals of SF6 at EWC 25. EWC 24 champion Zeng “Xiaohai” Zhuojun once again faced Fatal Fury COTW at EWC 25 champion Goichi “GO1” Kishida, and Xiaohai was hungry for revenge. The last time these two met was in the finals earlier this summer, where GO1 took a 5-3 win over Xiaohai.

The quarterfinal set started close, with the series quickly tied 2-2. But Xiaohai found the download on GO1, winning three consecutive games to claim the runback victory and close out the set 5-2.

They say revenge is a dish best served cold, and Xiaohai’s victory over GO1 certainly sent chills through everyone watching.

CROSSFIRE at 2025 Esports World Cup

AG.AL brushes off strong opening from KINGZERO-eSports

The SNB Arena in Boulevard Riyadh City grew relatively quiet as tournament favorite AG.AL looked scattered while KINGZERO-eSports secured a 10-1 victory on Ankara. AG.AL, the tournament’s second seed, quickly reminded everyone why they are a powerhouse in the Chinese CROSSFIRE scene, answering with decisive 10-6 and 10-1 wins to secure their spot in the final. The Chinese club would eventually go on to win the entire tournament.

It was all China, all week in CROSSFIRE at the 2025 Esports World Cup. Chinese teams didn’t lose a single match except to each other. Brazilian, Vietnamese, and Egyptian squads all took their shots, but none could topple teams from the sleeping giant.

Counter-Strike 2 at 2025 Esports World Cup Playoffs

A tactical family affair

When Nikola "NiKo" Kovač joined Team Falcons in the offseason after earning MVP honors at EWC 24, he knew there was a chance he’d face his cousin and former teammate, Nemanja "huNter-" Kovač, in a high-stakes match. It’s already happened more than once.

NiKo and huNter- went head-to-head in their opening match during CS2 at EWC 25, where Team Falcons secured both maps in a competitive series to send huNter- home. The cousins also clashed in the grand finals of PGL Bucharest 2025 back in April, with NiKo coming out on top then as well.

The 2025 Esports World Cup delivered a summer of adrenaline and high-stakes competition to Riyadh, and now you can relive every unforgettable moment. Watch your favorite players and teams clash anytime on the official YouTube and Twitch channels.