The Esports World Cup (EWC) 2024, held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was marketed as the biggest esports event in history. However, months after its conclusion, multiple reports have surfaced indicating that several players, production workers, and on-screen talent have yet to receive their prize money and salaries.
This delay has raised concerns about financial management within the tournament and the organizations backing it.
Players and Staff Claim Missing Payments
Sources close to the event have revealed that multiple esports titles—including Apex Legends, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Tekken, and PUBG Mobile—are affected. Reports indicate that a wide range of payments remain outstanding, from prize pool distributions to production staff invoices and talent fees.
The event, managed by the Esports World Cup Foundation and backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), boasted a record-breaking $60 million prize pool across 23 individual tournaments. Despite this financial backing, many involved in the competition still await their rightful earnings.
Which Games Are Affected?
Several esports titles are reportedly still missing payments, with varying degrees of delays:
- Apex Legends: With a $2 million prize pool, multiple players and teams have yet to receive their earnings.
- Mobile Legends: Bang Bang: A $3 million pool was promised, but several teams and staff members are still waiting for payments. Publisher Moonton has allegedly discouraged affected parties from speaking out.
- Tekken and PUBG Mobile: Players and organizations involved in these titles also claim to have received no payments despite official commitments.
Unequal Payment Distribution?
Notably, not all games seem to be affected. Sources suggest that higher-profile titles with larger communities received priority payments, leaving smaller games in limbo. Some high-profile organizations and players have reportedly been compensated, while lesser-known figures and independent contractors continue to wait.
Additionally, ESL FACEIT Group (EFG), a subsidiary of Savvy Games Group, has been implicated in ongoing financial disputes. Contractors claim that delayed payments and lack of communication have become a recurring issue within EFG’s operations.
Esports World Cup Responds
In response to these allegations, the Esports World Cup Foundation issued the following statement:
“Over 99% of the payments have already been paid, including $60M of the total prize pool for over 400 participating teams in various jurisdictions and financial systems. We are working with all involved parties to finalize the remaining transactions as quickly as possible, but while the overwhelming majority of payments have been processed, minor delays can occasionally occur due to bank processing times, administrative checks, or recipient verification.”
While this statement reassures that payments are being processed, many players and contractors report they are still waiting for their funds. Some have received updates on expected payment timelines, while others have yet to hear anything.
The Future of the Esports World Cup
Despite these financial controversies, the Esports World Cup is set to return in 2025 with an expanded lineup of 25 esports titles and multi-million dollar prize pools. With its long duration and numerous qualifiers, the event dominates nearly a quarter of the esports calendar.
While EWC has been seen as a financial lifeline for competitive gaming, this payment controversy suggests that the reality may not be as stable as it seems. If unresolved, these delays could damage the credibility of the event and discourage future participation.
Conclusion
The Esports World Cup 2024 was meant to be a landmark event for the industry, yet reports of missing prize money and unpaid salaries have cast a shadow over its success. With its strong financial backing, the delay raises serious concerns about esports event management and financial transparency.
Whether the affected players, teams, and staff members will receive full payment remains to be seen, but for now, the esports community is left questioning the reliability of one of the industry’s biggest tournaments.
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