What are the biggest esports tournaments in the world?

Esports has grown in popularity immensely over recent times and there are some big tournaments on the calendar throughout the year.

What is esports?

The term 'esports' is used to describe competitive video gaming and is short for electronic sports. 

Among the types of games to feature in esports are first-person shooter (FPS), multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) and battle royale games.

What are the world’s biggest esports tournaments? 

Multiple game tournaments

Before looking at esports tournaments for individual games, it is worth looking at the biggest multi-game tournaments, the most notable of which is the Esports World Cup.

Last year was the inaugural edition of the Esports World Cup, which featured 23 events across 22 different video games and took place in Saudi Arabia.

The Olympic Esports Series is another example of a major multi-game tournament, although this is set to be replaced by the Olympic Esports Games starting in 2027.

Biggest esports tournaments by game

League of Legends

League of Legends World Championship

It does not get any better than the World Championship when it comes to League of Legends and perhaps esports as a whole.

Hosted by Riot Games, the international event began in 2011 and features the best League of Legends teams from regions such as China, South Korea and North America.

Nearly seven million people tuned in for last year's final and it remains the most iconic event on the esports circuit.

CS:GO (Counter-Strike)

PGL Majors

The ever-changing nature of the Counter Strike 2 calendar means there is not one single event that stands out each season but the PGL Majors are arguably considered the pinnacle of a campaign.

The PGL Major Stockholm back in 2021 still holds the record for the best CS:GO viewership with nearly three million watching on.

Call of Duty

Call of Duty League

The number one event for this esport is the Call of Duty League, founded as recently as 2020.

With teams from the USA and Canada in contention, it is not as popular as other esports major events but remains a staple of the esports calendar.

DOTA

The International

One of the longer running esports tournaments, The International is the biggest event in the five-on-five game Dota 2.

It is known for having the largest prize pool of any esports event, having previously gone as high as $40 million.

Valorant

Valorant Champions Tour

Although not strictly an individual event, the Valorant Champions Tour is the most iconic Valorant series around, featuring various top-level events throughout the entire season.

EA Sports FC

FC Pro World Championship

Formerly known as FIFA, EA Sports FC remains an important part of the esports circuit and its most noteworthy tournament is the FC Pro World Championship.

The event has a prize pool of $1 million and features as many as 32 players.

Fortnite

Fortnite Champion Series Global Championship

The Fortnite World Cup was once regarded as the game's biggest tournament of the year but as that has not returned, the title belongs to the Fortnite Champion Series Global Championship.

With a prize pool of $2 million, this year the S-Tier event will take place in Lyon, France with 33 teams competing.

Overwatch

Overwatch Champion Series

Having taken the place of the successful Overwatch League, the Overwatch Champions Series enjoyed its maiden campaign in 2024.

Hosted by Blizzard Entertainment, the event features teams from across North America, EMEA, Asia and specifically China.

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang World Championship

Presented each year by Montoon, the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang World Championship is another esports event with global appeal, featuring 16 teams competing across a double-elimination bracket main event.