The Esports World Cup 2025 officially kicked off with a sold-out Opening Ceremony in Riyadh, headlined by global music icon Post Malone, launching a seven-week global celebration of esports and gaming. Thousands attended the event in person at the ANB Arena in Riyadh’s Boulevard City, with millions more watching online during a night of music and entertainment on the world’s biggest esports stage.
At the heart of the celebration was the live debut of “Til My Fingers Bleed,” the official Song of the Year for Esports World Cup 2025, which surpassed two million Spotify streams in its first week. The genre-blending collaboration – featuring DINO of SEVENTEEN, Duckwrth, and Telle Smith of The Word Alive – combines K-pop, hip-hop, and rock to capture the ambition and emotion of the world’s premier esports event. Performing live together for the first time, the trio delivered an unforgettable set that electrified the entire venue. Their performance was a powerful fusion of raw vocals, slick choreography and magnetic stage presence, all intensified by the incredible production and staging – with towering LED visuals, dramatic lighting and an otherworldly set.
As Post Malone took to the stage, the backing dancers stepped away, leaving him alone under the lights for a powerful solo moment that captivated the arena as he opened his set with the fan favourite track “Circles.” Later, Grammy-nominated producer Alesso and virtuoso cellist Tina Guo performed their high-octane instrumental track “Ascension” which transformed the stage into a pulse-racing arena of adrenaline as the competitors faced each other on stage.
“Performing at the Esports World Cup opening ceremony was such an eye-opening experience,” added DINO of SEVENTEEN. “It was really meaningful for me to connect K-pop with another creative frontier—the gaming world—and to share the stage with amazing, genre-diverse artists like Duckwrth and Telle Smith. The atmosphere and energy from the audience were incredible, and it’ll definitely inspire me to keep pushing my artistic boundaries.”
“At its heart, the Esports World Cup is a global celebration of community – where gaming, creativity, and culture converge on the world’s biggest stage,” said Mike McCabe, Chief Operating Officer, Esports World Cup Foundation. “EWC Music, our official song “Til My Fingers Bleed”, and the Opening Ceremony define the identity of the tournament. They reflect the spirit of shared passion and the connective power of music and esports, setting the tone for an unforgettable summer.”
Produced by an award-winning team led by executive producer Ariel Horn and executive creative director Viranda Tantula, the ceremony was envisioned to reflect EWC’s core narrative – the stakes, the fandom, the competitors, and the climb to the top. The show was designed by Possible Productions, culminating in a 40-metre mountain stage, tiered ramps, and a flown LED ceiling to create incredible scale and depth. Each performance was integrated with dynamic visuals, lighting, and choreography to connect the acts, while augmented reality and precise transitions delivered a seamless viewer experience, reinforcing the EWC’s identity as the new global standard for esports entertainment.
Horn commented, “We all dream of telling stories on the biggest stages and this was certainly that, but even more we aim to tell emotional stories that connect with fans across the globe who dedicate their time to this diverse collection of games at EWC 2025.”
The Opening Ceremony also welcomed a diverse mix of celebrity guests across music, sport, and streaming to its red carpet, including popular streamer Tyler 1, former NFL star Osi Umenyiora, chess Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen, actor Karry Wang and professional gamer Arslan Ash. These guests highlight EWC’s growing status as a global meeting point for the biggest names in entertainment, music, sport, gaming, and esports.
With the Opening Ceremony complete, the world’s attention now turns to the competition at the core of the EWC. Matches featuring the world’s best players in the biggest competitive titles will unfold daily across multiple arenas in Riyadh’s Boulevard City, as Clubs compete for the ultimate prize in all of esports: the Esports World Cup Club Championship.
