Esports World Cup Foundation forms strategic partnership with Tencent

The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF), the company behind the Esports World Cup (EWC), has announced a strategic partnership with Tencent E-Sports.

The partnership, announced at the Empower Esports Worldwide Series — The Esports Operation and Technology Session in Shenzhen, China, will see the two collaborate to strengthen the EWC’s reach in China.

Additionally, to further promote the competition’s visibility, both entities will establish the EWC China Development Team to enhance engagement and help connect Chinese esports with the global ecosystem.

With one of the largest populations in the world and noted competitive esports experience across several game titles such as Riot Games’ VALORANT and League of Legends, China counts 490m esports users, according to an industry report by the Electronic Sports Committee of China Audio-Video and Digital Publishing Association (ESC).

In 2024, the Chinese esports industry generated 27.57bn RMB (~£2.97 bn) in revenues, with a large share coming from esports content live streaming.

Established back in 2016, Tencent E-Sports is a brand and event operator that has hosted tournaments in over 90 countries and regions. Following the recognition of esports as an official event at the latest Hangzhou Asian Games, Tencent E-sports launched the Empower Esports Worldwide Series with the goal of reuniting global industry partners and promoting cultural exchange and long-term cooperation. After Saudi Arabia, the subsequent events are to be held in France, Japan, and China.

“The Esports World Cup has created a global stage for competitive gaming, demonstrating its influence not only in China but across the world,” commented Mars Hou, Vice President of Tencent Games and General Manager of Tencent E-sports.

“Through this partnership, we are committed to elevating EWC’s presence in China and integrating our esports industry with the world’s largest competitive gaming event. We look forward to deepening our collaboration with EWCF to push esports forward on a global scale.”