HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam have achieved remarkable results at the ongoing Esports World Cup 2025 (EWC 2025), the world’s largest annual club-level esports tournament, held in Saudi Arabia.

Virtus.Pro Club proved that even with a roster virtually unknown to the world, they could eliminate some of the tournament favourites in the Teamfight Tactics event. After dropping just one match to AEGIS in the group stage, they went on to secure 2-0 victories over Wolves Esports and T1 in the quarter-finals and semi-finals. Much of the tournament hype centred on Virtus.Pro, who truly lived up to their reputation as giant slayers. The Vietnamese side eventually lost 1-3 to China’s Weibo Gaming but still walked away with US$70,000.

Meanwhile, two out of three PUBG teams — The Expandable and AG — have advanced to the finals. The Expandable will aim for their second world title against 15 strong rivals at the Qiddiya Esports Arena in Riyadh. Last year, they triumphed at the PUBG Global Championship 2024 (PGC) in Malaysia, securing US$500,000.

The Việt Nam Recreational and Electronic Sports Association (VIRESA) believes these achievements demonstrate that Vietnamese athletes are now ready to compete – and succeed – on the world stage.

“EWC 2025 is the pinnacle of global club esports, uniting the strongest teams from every region. The success of Vietnamese clubs here is proof of how far our esports has advanced, as only the best athletes from domestic and regional circuits can qualify,” a VIRESA spokesperson stated.

The EWC 2025 features 26 events across 25 esports, with a record-breaking prize pool of US$70 million. Việt Nam have 13 clubs competing in seven events.

With these results, Việt Nam can be regarded as a strong contender in the region and beyond, including at the SEA Games, Asian Youth Games and Asian Games, where its strengths in League of Legends, VALORANT, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and CrossFire will be showcased.

“Competing at EWC allows us to both test our strength and better understand our international rivals. This is a crucial step in building long-term competitiveness,” the spokesperson added.

Beyond competition, Việt Nam’s partnership with the EWC organising committee further strengthens its presence on the global esports map.

“VIRESA is committed to aligning Vietnamese esports with the global movement, unlocking greater competitiveness and investment to drive breakthrough growth in 2025–2030. Our vision is for Việt Nam to become a premier global esports destination. Esports will not only serve as a platform for cultural exchange but also as a catalyst for Việt Nam’s digital economy in the years ahead,” the spokesperson concluded. — VNS