Riyadh - Sharikat Mubasher: Professional gamers from across the globe are heading to Saudi Arabia to participate in the inaugural Esports World Cup.

Taking place in Riyadh, the event that kicks off today will run for nearly eight weeks until August 25th and replaces the Gamers8 festival with a grander vision and bigger ambitions. It has a combined prize pool of more than $60 million, setting a new benchmark for esports, according to a recent press release.

The Esports World Cup will feature 22 competitions across 21 different video game titles. It takes place in Riyadh's Boulevard City with an opening show streamed live on the official website.

Thirty esports organizations from Europe, North America, Asia, South America, and the Middle East have been selected to compete. The teams, chosen based on their competitive achievements and strategic approach to fan engagement, will vie for the prizes.

The $60 million overall prize pot will be distributed across various categories, including the Club Championship, individual Game Championships, Qualifiers, and MVP Awards, ensuring substantial rewards are available for teams and players who excel in their respective disciplines.

The Club Championship is the highlight, aggregating results across all games to crown an overall champion. A $20 million prize pool is distributed to the top 16 clubs based on their cumulative performance.