Faker eyes title as Esports World Cup hits Riyadh
South Korea’s Lee 'Faker' Sang-hyeok is back, aiming for another title as the 2025 Esports World Cup (EWC) kicks off in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. With a massive $70 million prize pool, the largest in esports history, the event brings together 200 teams and over 2,000 players. They’ll compete in 25 games, including League of Legends, Valorant, and Street Fighter 6.
At 29, Faker is widely considered one of the best League of Legends players of all time. He plays mid lane for T1 and has won five World Championships, ten League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) titles, and two Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) titles. On June 6, 2024, he became the first inductee into Riot Games’ Hall of Legends during a special ceremony in Seoul, further cementing his status as ‘The Unkillable Demon King’.
This year, Faker returns to the EWC, where 12 League of Legends teams will compete from July 16 to 20 for a $2 million prize. The event is funded by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) through Savvy Games Group.
