30 esports organisations join the Esports World Cup Club Support Program

30 organisations from across the globe have joined the Esports World Cup Foundation Club Support Program, a project that provides financial capital to teams ahead of the Esports World Cup.

The list of organisations includes some of the biggest organisations in the esports space, such as FaZe Clan, NAVI, NIP, G2 Esports, Fnatic and TSM, among others.

The Club Support programme was initially announced in February 2024 and is essentially a way for the EWC Foundation to support esports teams with annual financial injections. The EWC Foundation noted that selected organisations are eligible for a ‘six-figure’ financing round annually, but did not explain how the money will be shared. The organisations are to use the money to improve infrastructure, enter new esports titles, and create content, among other things.

Although 28 teams were initially planned for the first year of the support programme, the EWC Foundation increased the number to 30 due to a large number of applicants. 22 teams were invited by the EWC Foundation, with eight teams selected from more than 150 applications.

The organisers noted that being a part of the programme does not mean that the organisation will automatically participate in the Esports World Cup.

However, members of the EWC Club Support Program will be eligible for more financial rewards if the organisation “drive viewership and fan engagement to the EWC”, according to a release. This might mean that the organisations that direct more fans towards the EWC will get higher payouts, with the programme serving as a way to incentivise teams to promote the EWC.

The Esports World Cup has received backlash from sections of the esports community due to it being backed by the Saudi Arabian government, a country criticised for its policies regarding human rights and freedom of speech. The country has been accused of ‘esportswashing‘, or using esports as a way to improve its image, in the past.

Streamer Ludwig has also openly criticised the organisations that are a part of the Programme on social media, stating that: “orgs who milked crypto money have started taking Saudi oil money”

Ralf Reichert the CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, commented on the programme: “The Club Support Program is critical to the EWC Foundation’s vision of building a stronger esports ecosystem and elevating esports as global sports.

“Because we received so many high-quality applications, we expanded our original allocation of 28 Club Support Program slots to 30, a testament to the strength of our program as it supports some of the world’s best esports Clubs. I’m excited to cheer on these Clubs as they work to qualify for the Esports World Cup and its life-changing prize pool of more than $60m.”

The 30 teams that are a part of the Club Support Program are: