Top 10 Most Prestigious eSports Tournaments in the World

eSports are rising in popularity with each passing day. While there is still a long way to go until they reach the popularity of soccer, NFL, or basketball, they're on an rising trajectory for the last few years. We're talking about thousands of players and millions of viewers when it comes to the top tournaments in this domain. It is hard to believe that once a pure form of entertainment designed to be played and enjoyed in house, has exited to the world, and has become what it is today. eSports have changed the way we view playing games.

Today, when you buy your children a PC or any of the popular gaming consoles you are not giving them a fun pastime. You're investing into their future. With enough skill, time and effort invested into playing some of the most popular eSports games, anyone can become a standout star in this sport. The best part is that due to its popularity and worldwide access, eSports are an amazing way to earn money by becoming a professional. Here are the biggest eSPorts tournaments in the world that are a top draw for players, sponsors, fans, viewers, and anyone even remotely into eSports.

The International-Dota 2

Dota 2 is right up there with the best eSports available. Its premium tournament is called The International. TI is the annual competition designed to attract the best Dota 2 players from all over the world. The game was developed by Valve Corporation, and they're in charge of organizing the tournament. Dota 2 Premium competition is one with the biggest prize pool in the world of eSports. The funding comes from the sponsors, but also from the purchase of Compendium or Battle Pass. The International is the longest running Dota 2 tournament with the first iteration being held in 2011. The biggest prize pool to date was back in 2018 when it reached $18 million.

League of Legends World Championship

League of Legends is one of the most popular eSports. The game is designed in a way to attract the best of the best in terms of player quality. Due to its popularity it was able to attract the best players and the biggest sponsors. In terms of audience and viewers, the League of Legends World Championship is like the soccer World Cup in terms of audience attention. It is an annual tournament held in the hands of the Riot Games. The trophy called Summoner's Cup is the most recognizable trophy in the universe of eSports. The record of viewers who tuned in to watch the final was a record 99.6 million people making it the most viewed final of any eSport. This tournament is a global event which brings the world of eSports closer with its annual LOL World Cup which changes the location each year. It is no wonder that eSports betting opportunities on Stake are the best when League of Legends World Cup is on schedule.

Fortnite World Cup

Fortnite is one of the games that was developed and released at the right moment. This battle royal game is one of the most popular eSports and is still growing as we speak. Fortnite was well accepted by the gaming community, it attracted some celebrity players, and it broke out when streaming was becoming a thing. All of these things combined led to its massive popularity, and as such eSport it was only a matter of time when Fortnite tournament would become a thing. In no time Fortnite World Cup has become one of the biggest eSports tournaments out there. The only downside is that the 2019 edition and its $30 million prize pool were the only event so far. We're hoping to see more of Fortnite played on the global stage as the 2019 event proved to be more than successful with potential to rival even Dota 2 and LOL.

VALORANT Champions

Just like Fortnite, VALORANT is a game that has quickly risen to the top. Riot Games know a thing or two about making their games into popular eSports. This first person tactical hero shooter was developed in 2020 and in half a decade it has risen to be one of the top eSports on the market. It is highly marketable and attracts some of the most skilled players out there. What makes VALORANT Champions so interesting is that it is a global eSports event that runs all year long through a series of tournaments. VALORANT Champions is only a culmination of all those events when the final winner is decided. Riot Games were quick to recognize the potential of this sport, and the first Champions was held in the second year of the game's existence. Due to the number of tournaments and the way the tour is structured this is one of the more popular eSports on online casinos and sportsbook platforms such as Stake.

CS2 Major Championships

Counter-Strike has been around for so long that we're sure that anyone who ever owned a computer has played it. The Valve developed game is right there at the top of the eSports pyramid. The CS2 Major Championships is an event held annually since 2013. With more than a decade of being on stage this tournament is organized by the game developer Valve, and it attracts the best CCS players, major sponsors, and is seen as the most prestigious as far as shooting games go. The most recent prize pool was set at $1,250,000. The reigning champions are known as Team Vitality and they boost some of the best CS2 players in the world which was proven with the most recent majors win at Blast Austin Major 2025.

EVO Championship Series

Evolution Championship Series is the eSports counterpart to UFC. It is an American yearly eSports event which has its entire focus on fighting games. The EO tournaments are fully open, and are organized in a double elimination format. The concept was developed by fans of Super Street Fighter II Turbo and Street Fighter Alpha 2, and it was first known as Battle by the Bay in its first iteration. In 2002 it gave its name to EVO and has been going strong since then gathering more players, more people in the audience, and more money each passing year. As more years passed, the tournament expanded its focus from Street Fighter games to now include Virtual Fighter 4: Evolution, Soulcalibur II, and Tekken 4 among many other titles.

Call of Duty League Championship

CoD has a massive fan base, and we can even argue one of the biggest out there. The game had multiple iterations throughout the years, and has become better and better each year. In 2013 the Call of Duty League Championship was established. The final tournament is an annual event which is held to determine the best out of bets after a league season is over. Players are required to be at least 18 years old at the start of the season. The first version of the tournament was played behind the optics of Call of Duty: Black Ops II. Interestingly enough, the last tournament was played behind Black Ops 6, while previous two tournaments have focused on Modern Warfare II and III. The latest tournament had a $2 million prize pool to be shared among the players, so it is no wonder that the tournament has been steadily growing each passing year.

PUBG Global Championship

A younger tournament even by eSports standards, PUBG Global Championship has quickly made a name for itself. Since the first version back in 2020 it has grown rapidly to become one of the most organized eSports events in the world. PUBG is quite popular in all corners of the world. Its rapid growth is best seen through the pool prize for the tournament. Back in 2020 it was set at $2 million. That number grew to $6 million in 2021, to be at $3 million for the last two years. It is an event which is a culmination of the entire PUBG season which is held throughout the year and culminates with an global event which is played over a period of two months. Last year's edition had 49 teams from all parts of the world, and was won by the Dplus KIA team. The qualification rounds are divided in regional tournaments showing just how popular this eSport is in all parts of the world starting from Asia across Europe to Africa and South and North America.

Overwatch Champions Series

Overwatch is a great example that shows that eSports are just like other sports that have their fair share of drama in addition to high competitiveness and popularity. After Overwatch League was disbanded after facing legal issues, the people behind the game decided to change the format of the competition from a league one to a tournament one. The league was on from 2018-2023, with the tournament taking over in 2024. It is a one of a kind competition divided into regional groups from North America, EMEA, Asia and China. The tournament is supervised by Blizzard Entertainment, and while the tournament is still facing issues in terms of organization and recouping some of the lost popularity of the league format, it certainly belongs up there with the big boys.

Rocket League Championship Series

Rocket League is a fascinating concept. It is where NASCAR meets soccer. Those of you who haven't tried it out so far, you don't know what you're missing. The game was developed by Psyonix who was in charge of the series from 2016-2023. In 2023 Blast APS took over, but the series continued with the same success. The concept of the Rocket League Championship Series lies in the qualification splits being divided into two streams across different regions of the world. Throughout the year you have midseason tournaments which are internally called Majors, and the best teams that have won those meet at the Rocket League World Championship. Both of these events are worldwide types played on LAN. The latest Championship Series has had a prize pool of $5 million showing that the game attracts not only players but big sponsors alike. What makes the Rocket League stand out among other eSports is that it is one of the most popular titles for streamers and their fans who love quick action in a match that lasts only 5 minutes.

Considering that we live in an era where technology advances even as we speak, and eSports are based on technology there is no doubt in our minds that their future is a bright one. There are also a few other factors adding to their growth. The first one is of course the number of playing fields. Games such as LOL, Dota 2, CS2, Call of Duty, or VALORANT have some similarities, but are rather different in their core. They attract different types of players, fans, viewers, and sponsors. Yet, fans of gaming are a group that can pay attention to games they're not even playing if the viewing format is nice.

It is also important not to forget that some of these games have been around for decades now, and are still growing. When you add into play aspects such as social media platforms, streaming platforms, and the imminent development of technology in the direction of VR and AR. When virtual and augmented reality become, well, a reality, for broader masses, the gaming world will be elevated on a higher level not seen before.

eSports are hoping that in the future, the tech developments will bring even more fans to their flock. That shouldn't pose an issue. All it takes is taking a look at either of the tournaments listed above. You will see that the organization is top notch, that the equipment used, and the players using it are on the highest level, and that excitement, passion, and everything that makes any sport great are through the roof. It hasn't happened yet, but we can see some of the eSports becoming just as popular as some of the most popular sports in the world. A future not so distant.