Esports World Cup StarCraft 2 Tournament: All You Need to Know

StarCraft II

10 Aug

Martin Arévalo-Östberg

After weeks of excitement and a plethora of memorable moments at the Esports World Cup, it is soon time for StarCraft 2 (SC2) to shine. With the very best players in the world signed up for the event, and a lofty prize pool on the line, the competition is set to be fiercer than ever in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Join us as we go through everything you need to know about the event, from the players to keep an eye on and talent lineup to the tournament's format and schedule!

Player Lineup

The EWC will feature 18 of the greatest minds in SC2 today, ensuring that the tournament will be a spectacle to behold.

Players to watch

Joona "Serral" Sotala: Having won nearly every tournament he has played in during the 2023/2024 ESL SC2 circuit, there is no doubt the Finnish Zerg player will be the favorite to take home the EWC trophy.
Clément "Clem" Desplanches: The French star upset Serral by taking home the ESL Masters 2023 Winter trophy. Only time will tell if the young Terran can replicate his winter form and conquer Riyadh at the EWC.
Cho "Maru" Seong-ju: Maru has been the best Terran, and the best South Korean, player in SC2 for a few years now. While 2024 hasn't necessarily been his year so far, perhaps the EWC will be his chance to prove everyone he's still got what it takes.
Riccardo "Reynor" Romiti: A player who never fails to give fans a spectacle, the Italian Zerg will look to show that his impeccable mechanics are enough to defeat any and all players at the EWC.

Tournament Format and Schedule

Format

Players at the tournament will first be split into two brackets, Group A and Group B, where they will play best-of-5 (BO5) matches in double elimination brackets. The winners of each group will directly qualify to the Final Four. The second place players of each group will play a BO5 against each other, with the winner also qualifying to the Final Four.

All remaining players will face off in the Knockout Bracket, a single elimination bracket where they will play BO3 matches until there is only one player standing, who will be the last player to make it to the Final Four.

The Final Four will take place as a single elimination bracket, with the Semifinals being BO7 and the Grand Finals being a BO9.

Schedule

The entire tournament will run from Wednesday (August 14th) to Sunday (August 18th). Here is the detailed match schedule:

Group Stage

Wednesday, August 14th - Friday, August 16th

2nd vs 2nd Match

Friday, August 16th

Knockout Bracket

Saturday, August 17th

Final Four

Sunday, August 18th

Prize Pool

StarCraft 2 players at the EWC will be competing to see who takes the larger part of a whopping $1,000,000. In the end, however, all qualified players will leave with a piece of the pie. Here's the breakdown of how the prize will be distributed:

1st Place: $400,000
2nd Place: $150,000
3rd-4th Places: $80,000 each
5th Place: $50,000 each
6th-7th Places: $30,000 each
8th-11th Places: $20,000 each
12th-18th Places: $15,000 each

Talent Lineup

Fans will be delighted to see lots of familiar faces in the cast, including beloved figures in the StarCraft 2 scene such as Kevin "RotterdaM" van der Kooi, Jared "PiG" Krensel or Jonathon "Wardi" Ward.

Also joining the talent team as an analyst will be fan-favorite Zerg player Julian "Lambo" Brosig.

Here is the complete talent lineup for the event:

How to Watch

StarCraft 2 fans can rest assure they will be able to watch the games live on several broadcasts. All of the EWC StarCraft 2 action will be livestreamed on the official Twitch and YouTube channels of the Esports World Cup.

With amazing players from all over the globe and a stunning prize pool, the SC2 tournament at the Esports World Cup will be an event few fans of the game will want to miss.

For the complete information on the EWC, check out our all-inclusive guide. Stay tuned to Strafe for more news on the Esports World Cup. Also follow us on social media for all esports content!

Image source: Gamers8

League of Legends Worlds Finals Ticket Sales and Prices Announced