It’s been a great year for esports tournaments, with more funds, more public attention, much more competitive teams, and implementation of the latest technologies. It’s widely believed that 2025 will be even better and that it’s a year when eSports tournaments will truly become sports events of the season.
In this article, we’ll go over some of the best esports tournaments already scheduled for 2025. The events on our list have become big media events even outside the world of esports, with huge sponsors and some of the best crypto esports betting sites covering the tournaments.
The International 2025 (Dota 2)
The International 2025 is an online tournament in Dota 2, and it’s usually the biggest Dota 2 event of the year, with a prize pool of over $3 million. The tournament sets a gold standard for all other eSports events, or at least it has been for years.
Millions of fans follow the event each year, and the numbers surpass the Super Bowl in some areas. It’s not yet known where the tournament will take place, but there are rumors that this will be the first year it will be held in China. Team Liquid and Gaimin Gladiators are the biggest favorites for the top spots.
League of Legends World Championship 2025
The 2025 Season World Championship (Worlds 2025) is the conclusion of the 2025 League of Legends esports season. It’s the biggest event in the LOL world, and for many, LOL is still the most important eSports game. This edition of the tournament will feature 17 teams in total, and there are changes in how the regions will be organized, but the main venue is still unknown.
The reduction in the number of teams was made to support Riot’s financial sustainability goals, which include the Global Revenue Pool (GRP). The changes will also concentrate the player talent, making for a somewhat smaller event than before but with a more competitive performance. T1 and LNG sports are the teams to watch for.
Fortnite World Cup 2025
Fortnite World Cup hasn’t yet announced its venue location, but there are rumors that it may be the first time it’s held in a different country. They did, however, announce an increased pool prize – now set at $8 million and slight changes to the format.
The 2025 season will be a Trios format, as opposed to the Duos format that has been used for the past two years. Siphon, a popular Battle Royale element, is returning to the FNCS 2025 season, which means competitive matches will feature it after a two-year break. XSET is the defending champion and the biggest favorite to win.
CS Major Championships 2025
There was a time when Counter-Strike was the biggest game in eSports, and it’s still pretty big with some players. In the 2025 event, 16 teams will take part, but the format will be announced later. The event is to take place in December of 2025.
Esports tournament organizer BLAST has announced it will host a Counter-Strike 2 Major in Austin, Texas, in 2025. The event will take place in the Moody Center in June 2025 and is the second Counter-Strike Major to be organized by BLAST. Natus Vincere and Team Falcons are strong favorites to win.
VALORANT Champions 2025
VALORANT Champions Tour 2025 is the fifth official tournament circuit by Riot Games. The event will take place in October and in Paris. The format has not yet been announced, but there’s no reason to believe it won’t be the same as the one held in Seoul in 2024.
Valorant is the newest game among the biggest ones in eSports. The game has been around since 2020, and it’s been growing in popularity ever since, especially with younger players. Chances are that each following VALORANT tournament will be a bigger deal than the one before.EDward Gaming is the defending champion and Sentinels will probably be the biggest surprise.
Call of Duty League Championship 2025
The Call of Duty League (CDL) Championship is the culmination of the yearly CDL season. Call of Duty is one of the games on our list with the biggest tradition and with players who have decades of relationship with it. The prize pool with the highest reward is about $5 million.
Over the years, the approach to the game has changed, shifting to franchising and team-based city affiliations. It’s those changes that have made CDL a major force in the world of eSports.OpTic Texas and New York Subliners are the two biggest contenders for the top spot.
PUBG Global Championship 2025
In 2025, PUBG Esports will maintain its overall structure, hosting a total of 6 global-level tournaments: PGS, PNC, and PGC. Three teams will reach the final of these events. PUBG is one of the most beloved eSports games, but it’s relatively small compared to others on the list –last year’s finale had about 500.000 viewers.
PSG 5 and PSG 6 will take place in October and November, respectively, with each event featuring the 10 Global Partner Teams and 14 Regional Series Qualifiers from five regions: China, Korea, EMEA, APAC, and the Americas. The prize pool is set at $1.5 million. ShuaiGe Dui from Malaysia are the team to watch for.
Rocket League World Championship 2025
Rocket League is one of the most popular esports games, and the World Championship has always been a fan-favorite event. In 2025, the Championship will feature a new format for the first time. The RLCS in 2025 will feature two Major events alongside a $5m prize pool in addition to the inclusion of a one-versus-one format.
The one-versus-one competition will run alongside the three-versus-three competition. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top 128 players from Europe, the top 64 from the South American (SAM) region, and the top 32 players from the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region.This means that it will be the first time the Championship features 20 teams, an increase from 16. The viewership for the 2024 tournament was about 400.000. Team BDS is defending the title.
To Sum Up
In 2025, esports is set to make an even bigger splash, with major tournaments like The International, League of Legends Worlds, and the Fortnite World Cup leading the way. With bigger prize pools, more competitive formats, and growing audiences, these events are becoming just as popular as traditional sports.
Whether it’s Dota 2, Counter-Strike, or Rocket League, there’s something for every esports fan. As esports continues to evolve, 2025 promises to be an exciting year, with new formats and games taking the spotlight, further cementing esports as a major player in the global sports scene.
