esports: "More than 500 million viewers" for the first World Cup in Saudi Arabia

The Esports World Cup (EWC), an esports competition held in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) from 04/07 to 25/08/2024, recorded "more than 500 million viewers" worldwide for its first edition, according to the Esports World Cup Foundation, a non-profit organisation founded by the Saudi government, on 26/08/2024.

These 500 million viewers watched "over 250 million hours of content" from the event. A peak of 3.5 million viewers was recorded during the League of Legends Grand Final, according to the Esports World Cup Foundation. The event was mainly broadcast on the OTT platform DAZN (international rights) and on Warner Bros. Discovery channels (Europe, Asia and the Middle East), as well as via various channels on the Twitch platform.

"In total, more than two million fans visited the Esports World Cup festival in Boulevard City (Riyadh), which was transformed into the epicenter of gaming culture, featuring community tournaments, pop culture celebrations, concerts, and immersive international experiences," said the organisers.

The first edition of this international esports competition, with $60m…