After weeks of high-stakes matches and speculation, the Esports World Cup qualifiers are officially complete. 100 Thieves and NRG have secured their spots in Riyadh, joining 14 other international teams for what promises to be a high-stakes, globally watched Valorant event.

But the weekend didn’t just belong to the World Cup drama. Over in Dallas, Red Bull Home Ground NA wrapped up its own bracket with an emphatic victory by Envy.

Let’s recap what went down — and what it might mean for the future of Valorant esports.

🏆 100 Thieves Reverse Sweep to Clinch Qualification

In one of the most dramatic comebacks of the year, 100 Thieves completed a reverse sweep against MIBR to punch their ticket to the Esports World Cup.

  • MIBR took the early lead with a 13–4 win on Split
  • 100T answered back on Haven (13–3), Ascent (13–10), and closed it out on Pearl (13–9)
  • Asuna stepped up in a major way after criticism in previous series, dropping a dominant 18–6 performance on Neon

This result gives North America a strong showing in the final lineup, with G2, Sentinels, NRG, and 100T now representing the region in Riyadh. For a team that missed out on Masters Toronto, this was a critical win both for morale and organizational stability.

💬 Asuna and Boostio React

With the pressure on 100 Thieves to prove they still belong among the top, Asuna delivered when it mattered most. Following the win, Boostio and teammates expressed relief, noting the team’s resilience under pressure and hinting at how much stress had been lifted post-victory.

“So happy with our resilience and the amount of stress that left my body is unreal,” said Zander in a post on X.

🗓️ World Cup Format and Teams Locked In

With the qualifiers now over, here are the 16 teams set to compete in Riyadh for a share of the $1.25 million prize pool:

  • G2 Esports
  • Sentinels
  • NRG
  • 100 Thieves
  • Fnatic
  • Heretics
  • Gen.G
  • RRQ
  • Paper Rex
  • DRX
  • Edward Gaming
  • Titan Esports Club
  • Bilibili Gaming
  • GUILD
  • BBL Esports
  • Karmine Corp

The event is scheduled to take place in mid-July.

🎮 Red Bull Home Ground NA Concludes in Dallas

Meanwhile, Red Bull Home Ground NA crowned a new champion over the weekend. Playing out during DreamHack Dallas, Envy dominated Mville University in the final.

  • Lotus: 13–3
  • Haven: 13–3
  • BabyJ and Inspire were key standouts in the win

The Red Bull stage was situated alongside other major esports activations including Call of Duty, Halo, and CS2, making it a rare but welcomed crossover moment for Valorant fans outside of the usual Riot-run environments.

🎤 Should Riot Rethink Its Format?

A growing sentiment in the community, and from players like Seygetsu, is that Riot could learn from open-format scenes like CS2. The World Cup’s structure offered a fresh opportunity for teams that missed regular-season success to bounce back, and many feel this added diversity is worth preserving.

Seygetsu pointed out that players often burn out more from endless scrims than from frequent matches. Giving more organizations, TOs, and grassroots tournaments a path to contribute could prevent early retirements and keep the scene vibrant year-round.

📌 Final Thoughts

Whether or not you agree with how the Esports World Cup is funded or formatted, the one undeniable takeaway is that it delivered high-level competition and gave teams a real chance at redemption. For fans, that’s exactly what competitive Valorant needs — more stakes, more stories, and more stage time.

Now, with 16 teams locked and rosters solidified, all eyes turn to Riyadh in July.

Stay locked to AllValorant.gg for full World Cup coverage, team previews, and match breakdowns.

Source: TacticalRab on YouTube

Frequently Asked Questions about the EWC Qualifiers and 100 Thieves’ Victory

Which teams qualified for the Esports World Cup from the Americas?

From the Americas, the four qualified teams are G2 Esports, Sentinels, NRG, and 100 Thieves. Both NRG and 100T earned their spots through the final qualifier bracket, joining G2 and Sentinels who qualified earlier through regional playoffs.

How did 100 Thieves qualify?

100 Thieves completed a reverse sweep against MIBR in a best-of-five series. After losing the first map 13–4, they rallied back to win the next three maps and secured their spot in Riyadh.

Who won Red Bull Home Ground NA?

Envy won the NA qualifier for Red Bull Home Ground, defeating Mville University in a dominant 2–0 victory on LAN at DreamHack Dallas. They will compete at the main Home Ground event later this year.

What is the prize pool for the Esports World Cup?

The Esports World Cup has a prize pool of $1.25 million for Valorant. The event will feature 16 top teams from around the world competing in Riyadh this July.

What are the qualified teams for EWC 2025?

Here are the 16 teams:

  • G2 Esports
  • Sentinels
  • NRG
  • 100 Thieves
  • Fnatic
  • Heretics
  • Gen.G
  • RRQ
  • Paper Rex
  • DRX
  • Edward Gaming
  • Titan Esports Club
  • Bilibili Gaming
  • GUILD
  • BBL Esports
  • Karmine Corp

Will Riot continue supporting third-party tournaments like EWC?

It’s unclear. Riot traditionally runs a closed ecosystem, but the success of the EWC has sparked discussion about the benefits of allowing more open tournament formats. Players and community voices are pushing for more flexibility and more opportunities outside the core VCT structure.