Post Malone headlines Esports World Cup 2025 opening ceremony

Post Malone will headline the opening ceremony of the 2025 Esports World Cup, the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has announced.

The rap and country music artist will perform at the opening ceremony taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on July 10th.

According to a LinkedIn post from the EWCF, the artist’s involvement in the Esports World Cup ‘brings together gaming, music and culture, reflecting the EWC’s role in advancing gaming as mainstream entertainment for a digital generation.’

Post Malone is no stranger to the world of esports. In August 2020, the singer became part of Envy Gaming‘s ownership group, taking an undisclosed stake in the company. Since then, the North American organisation has merged with Native Gaming, resulting in it expanding into a variety of esports titles.

“Esports is becoming a global cultural force — where music, storytelling, and competition converge to create moments that are not just seen, but felt,” said Mike McCabe, Chief Operating Officer of the EWCF.

“With Post Malone, a global artist and true gamer, opening the tournament, we continue to celebrate the power of music — a universal language that brings fans together and defines the cultural future of esports.”

In addition to investing in Envy Gaming five years ago, Post Malone has often expressed his passion for the gaming and esports community. He has streamed several titles, including Call of Duty: Warzone and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) on his Twitch channel.

Post Malone isn’t the only global superstar to join forces with the Esports World Cup. Ahead of this year’s event, football icon Cristiano Ronaldo has become a global ambassador.

The appearance of Post Malone at the Esports World Cup builds on the EWCF’s music implementation. This includes the creation of a music initiative where the community can submit music tracks for a chance it’ll be added to the event organiser’s music suite, used at events and across broadcasts.

The EWCF says more music artists and performances will be announced in the coming weeks.

The Esports World Cup Foundation is backed by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, an initiative that continues to generate backlash due to allegations of esportswashing. In addition to esportswashing, the Kingdom’s human rights record continues to be the centre of criticism.