A multijurisdictional team from international law firm CMS has advised the Esports World Cup Foundation on the organisation of the first Esports World Cup (EWC), taking place over eight weeks in July and August 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The Esports World Cup is more than just another tournament — we’re watching esports history unfold in real-time. Over 1,500 esports players (and more than 60 nationalities) are competing in Riyadh across 21 of the best games in the world for a share of the record-breaking $60 million prize pool.
“The Esports World Cup is a major moment in esports history,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO, Esports World Cup Foundation. “It’s a historic culmination of two universal languages, gaming and sports, to unite the global community across games, leapfrog the esports industry and drive growth across the entire ecosystem."
Dr Pietro Graf Fringuelli and Samuel Oustayiannis led a global CMS-team of over 30 lawyers. The firm is providing full legal support for all aspects of the EWC, including all agreements with the teams, the rulebook for the EWC and all associated regulations for the participation at the EWC, all sponsorship agreements, media rights and partnership agreements as well agreements with publishers.
CMS Germany Partner and Co-Head of the CMS Technology, Media & Communications Group, Dr. Pietro Graf Fringuelli comments: “The esports industry continues to grow at a staggering rate and attracts records numbers of viewers around the world. The EWC will change the entire esport and will help to develop a sustainable ecosystem.”
Announced in late 2023, the Esports World Cup is an annual tournament series attracting over 450 teams worldwide. It also secures major sponsorships from brands such as Sony, TikTok, Amazon, Adidas, Pepsi and MasterCard. Designed for both professional esports players and gaming enthusiasts, the tournament consists of televised and streamed events across 21 different games, including League Of Legends, Call Of Duty: Warzone, Counter-Strike 2, EA Sports FC 24, and Fortnite.
CMS Partner Sam Oustayiannis led the UK team working on the media rights and partnerships. He adds: “The Esports World Cup is an unparalleled event, which attracts interest from a wide range of parties, from competitors to sponsors and the media. We were able to coordinate a close working team across our various practices and offices to ensure that all legal aspects were covered to make it a successful event to be enjoyed by all. We can’t wait to see what the future brings for the Esports World Cup!”
