Why are people boycotting the Esports World Cup 2025?

The 2025 Esports World Cup ^[1] is happening in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 7 to August 24. While it features top titles like League of Legends, Valorant, and Dota 2, it’s also facing major criticism. Many players, teams, and fans are calling for a boycott.

The main issue is that critics say the event is being used to cover up Saudi Arabia’s human rights problems. Groups and fans point to the country’s poor record on LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, and political freedom. One jailed activist, Manahel al-Otaibi, has become a symbol of the fight for basic rights. On top of that, some players feel unsafe or uncomfortable competing in a country that doesn’t align with their values.

Here’s all to know about the boycott of this year’s Esports World Cup by many.

The host nation controversy

The 2025 Esports Cup is set to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 7 to August 24, with the Esports World Cup Foundation as the competition’s host.

Critics widely accuse Saudi Arabia of utilizing the EWC as a “sportswashing” tool. This strategy involves using high-profile sporting events to divert international attention from the Kingdom’s huge human rights record and improve its image. Main concerns focus on Saudi Arabia’s treatment of LGBTQ+ people, with reports highlighting ongoing discrimination, violence, and denial of basic services. Broader criticism also touches on the country’s record on women’s rights and political repression, such as jailing activists like Manahel al-Otaibi for speaking up about basic freedoms.

Esports World Cup censorship

These human rights concerns extend to direct censorship within EWC-related media. The promotional Prime Video series “Esports World Cup: Level Up” allegedly removed segments and blurred images related to Team Liquid’s support for the LGBTQ+ community for viewers in Saudi Arabia.

Team Liquid publicly expressed disappointment and raised the issue with the production team. They pointed out that the host country’s values can result in how content is shown globally, which goes against the inclusive values that esports usually stand for.

Esports faces ethical crossroads at the 2025 World Cup

The controversies have sparked real responses from across the esports scene. GeoGuessr pulled out of the EWC after strong community backlash, openly citing concerns about sportswashing. One Apex Legends pro also chose not to compete, saying they didn’t feel safe in a country known for its anti-LGBTQ+ stance. On Reddit, the Valorant Competitive community took a clear stand against the event, pointing to ongoing human rights issues.

In a worrying development, Riot Games reportedly added new clauses to its talent contracts in 2025. These clauses ban content with social or political commentary and anything critical of Riot’s sponsors, including the Esports World Cup. The meaning behind these clauses raises serious concerns about limiting free speech and independent voices within esports. It suggests that some publishers may be placing sponsor interests ahead of creators’ freedom to speak openly, pressuring talent to stay silent or appear supportive, even if they disagree.

Geopolitical conflicts

Ukraine’s national esports team has chosen to boycott the IESF WEC 2025 in many games, including PUBG Mobile, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (women), and Dota 2. The action comes in response to the International Esports Federation allowing Belarus to compete under its national flag in these events. Ukraine sees this as unacceptable, since Belarus has supported Russia’s military actions by letting Russian troops operate from its territory. As a result, Ukraine officially considers Belarus an ‘enemy nation’.

Interestingly, Ukraine’s national team will still participate in the Counter-Strike 2 tournament at the same event, since Belarus didn’t qualify for that game. This shows that Ukraine’s boycott isn’t all-or-nothing, but a targeted decision that balances national policy with chances to compete. The move follows a broader rule from Ukraine’s Ministry of Youth and Sports, which bans athletes from entering events where ‘enemy nations’ are represented with their national flags. This rule has been applied in both esports and traditional sports.

FAQs

Why are people calling the EWC an example of “sportswashing”?

Sportswashing is when a country uses major events to clean up its public image. Critics say Saudi Arabia is doing this by hosting the Esports World Cup. The aim is to shift focus away from its human rights issues and instead show off its global influence through esports.

Why did GeoGuessr leave the Esports World Cup?

GeoGuessr backed out after fans removed the game’s most popular custom maps in protest. The company said it didn’t feel right to stay in the event after that. Their decision was one of the first big public exits and showed how strong the backlash was from the community.

What are other teams and players doing?

Some teams and pros are also skipping the event. One Apex Legends player said they didn’t feel safe attending. Ukraine is also boycotting many games at the event because Belarus is allowed to compete under its national flag. Ukraine sees Belarus as a supporter of Russian military action and won’t join events where they’re represented.

References

1. [1] "EWC website". esportsworldcup.com. Retrieved July 21, 2025