Esports World Cup unveils high-profile talent line-up as massive event takes shape

Esports World Cup unveils high-profile talent line-up as massive event takes shape

August 15, 2025 — With less than a week to go until the action begins, organizers of the Esports World Cup 2025 have revealed a star-studded 16-member talent roster set to anchor the Riyadh broadcast from August 20–24. The announcement expands behind-the-scenes visibility of one of esports' largest multi-title spectacles. 

Broadcast talent roster

The event’s talent pool includes familiar faces across stage hosting, interviews, analysis, and dual-stream commentary:

• Stage Hosts: Iain Chambers (UK) and Saudi Arabian esports veteran Abdulaziz “Fancy” Alrasheed.

• Interviewers: Freya “Freya” Spiers and James “BanKs” Banks, both from the UK.

• Desk Talent: Notable broadcast figures including Tres “stunna” Saranthus, Mike “DarfMike” Winnick, Sam “Tech Girl” Wright, analysts Janko “YNk” Paunović and Jacob “Pimp” Winneche, and caster Jason “moses” O'Toole.

• B-stream Commentators: Sam “Tech Girl” Wright returns, joined by Henry “HenryG” Greer and Adam “Dinko” Hawthorne.

Event context

The Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025 is underway in Riyadh as a sprawling global tournament featuring 26 competitions across 25 esports titles — from Counter-Strike 2 and League of Legends to chess, Valorant, and Naraka: Bladepoint. This year’s edition boasts an unprecedented $71.5 million total prize pool, including a $27 million Club Championship, $38 million Game Championships, $6 million in qualifiers, and $500k in MVP awards.

EWC continues as esports' largest single-event format by prize pool and title diversity, held at Boulevard Riyadh City, under the administration of the Esports World Cup Foundation and supervised by ESL. 

Broadcast scope & dual channels

Reflecting the event’s scale, the broadcast is structured across a dual-stream format. The main stream is fronted by desk talent and pro hosts, while the B-stream, tailored for deep-dive and parallel content, features seasoned commentators like HenryG and Dinko. 

What it means

EWC’s broadcast team underscores an investment in mainstream exposure, blending global talent with regional presence. Saudi host Fancy brings local credibility, while desk analysts like YNk and Pimp bolster strategic narrative. The roster's depth signals intent: to deliver a high-quality viewing experience across all titles, pairing production scale with talent familiarity.

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Summary:
With just days until it kicks off, the Esports World Cup 2025 has confirmed a high-profile broadcast lineup: stage hosts Iain Chambers and Fancy, interviewers Freya and BanKs, veteran analysts and desk talent including stunna, YNk, Pimp, and Tech Girl, and B-stream coverage led by HenryG and Dinko. The tournament spans 26 competitions across 25 titles, with an eye-watering $71.5M prize pool. This talent stack reflects Riyadh’s ambition to deliver a polished, globally resonant broadcast—melding established casters with local flavor and dual streams to support the event's unparalleled scale.