Falcons vs G2 headlines EWC Round of 16

The Saudi tournament will kick off in less than two weeks.

m0NESY and NiKo will face their former team in Riyadh

The Esports World Cup (EWC) has revealed the bracket for this year's Counter-Strike competition. Scheduled for August 20-24, the tournament will feature 16 teams, invited through the VRS, and a $1.25 million prize pool.

The tournament will be played in a single-elimination, best-of-three format, meaning that teams will be eliminated after one loss. EWC used the August VRS ranking to determine the seeding, with Spirit, MOUZ, G2 and Falcons all placed on the same side of the bracket.

Falcons vs G2 will be one of the standout matches of the Round of 16, pitting Ilya "⁠m0NESY⁠" Osipov against his former team for the first time. At IEM Cologne, Falcons failed to live up to the hype generated by Maxim "⁠kyousuke⁠" Lukin's signing as they were eliminated in 9th-12th place following defeats to The MongolZ and FURIA.

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Cologne champions Spirit will lock horns with HEROIC, who recently signed Alimzhan "⁠Alkaren⁠" Bitimbai on loan from the Russian organization, while Vitality will go up against Liquid on the other side of the bracket.

Below you can find all of the opening matchups:

Date Matches
Esports World Cup 2025
20/08/2025
13:00
Match
20/08/2025
13:15
Match
20/08/2025
16:15
Match
20/08/2025
17:05
Match
20/08/2025
20:10
Match
20/08/2025
20:15
Match
21/08/2025
13:00
Match
21/08/2025
13:00
Match

Note: The schedule displayed above is provisional

Kazakhstan Alimzhan 'Alkaren' Bitimbai
Alimzhan 'Alkaren' Bitimbai
Age:
18
Team:
Rating 1.0:
1.08
Maps played:
276
KPR:
0.70
DPR:
0.60
Russia Maxim 'kyousuke' Lukin
Maxim 'kyousuke' Lukin
Age:
17
Team:
Rating 1.0:
1.21
Maps played:
267
KPR:
0.86
DPR:
0.71
Russia Ilya 'm0NESY' Osipov
Ilya 'm0NESY' Osipov
Age:
20
Team:
Rating 1.0:
1.19
Maps played:
753
KPR:
0.79
DPR:
0.60
liquid will get humbled by the baguettes
2025-08-08 20:23
10
4 replies
#39
Faceit plus user Faceit level 10  | 
ropz | 
Czech Republic AKdo
What do you mean humbled, a faceit stack beat them in a bo3, what more can humble them
2025-08-08 21:43
41
3 replies
#51
Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
 | 
Poland foonatic
Where's Brazil? :d
2025-08-09 00:01
0
#58
 | 
Germany Djinigami
dont speak too soon...
2025-08-09 01:45
1
1 reply
#65
Faceit plus user Faceit level 10  | 
ropz | 
Czech Republic AKdo
brother in no means im rude here, but the fact Vitality lost a bo3 to Mouz doesnt mean liquid will even come close to taking a map, not talking series
2025-08-09 13:58
0
Old G2 vs New G2 let's goo
2025-08-08 20:23
36
#5
Faceit level 7  | 
 | 
Puerto Rico Massacrejr
Lol its over for falcons
2025-08-08 20:23
5
banger
2025-08-08 20:23
2
#11
 | 
Finland tailal
faze vs aurora again residentsleeper
2025-08-08 20:24
5
1 reply
their matchup at Katowice was a banger tho, especially Nuke
2025-08-09 02:01
1
#12
 | 
United States DapZey
surely falcons doesn't lose in the first round to their player's former org in their own tournament surely...
2025-08-08 20:24
89
2 replies
you know they will...
2025-08-08 20:38
7
they will find the way
2025-08-08 21:00
6
Liquid end is near
2025-08-08 20:25
4
They are going out early then
2025-08-08 20:26
0
#15
 | 
United Kingdom adukane
why they play at the same time?
2025-08-08 20:26
1
2 replies
#26
 | 
Scotland LinInABin
"Note: The schedule displayed above is provisional" Times not final
2025-08-08 20:48
6
#27
 | 
Europe Jezynt
Match hours not confirmed yet so hltv put them all on 12:00
2025-08-08 20:48
2
the saudis trying so hard to force some kind of "NiKo vs G2" storyline
2025-08-08 20:27
13
kyousuke
2025-08-08 20:28
4
1 reply
savage1337
2025-08-08 23:26
2
#18
 | 
Kazakhstan Shingis2kk
MAtys
2025-08-08 20:31
0
#19
Faceit level 10  | 
kyousuke | 
Georgia Shap3Zzz
kyousuke⁠ for the mvp, hope they win!
2025-08-08 20:34
3
#20
 | 
France Strayke
Nice bracket for vitality lmao
2025-08-08 20:35
9
so much blood money but they still cant come up with a decent format
2025-08-08 20:38
5
ok vitality have unreal easy bracket
2025-08-08 20:41
8
1 reply
Would be nice to see them get upset by Navi/Mongolz in the semis tho :)
2025-08-09 08:05
1
#25
Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
 | 
United States TacticalSanta
A quick win for the better Kovac
2025-08-08 20:42
1
its worse than the nba west vs east... vitalitys side is a joke
2025-08-08 20:49
5
#29
 | 
Slovakia jakubb39
G2 vs G2
2025-08-08 20:54
2
#30
ropz | 
Estonia mrkenz
semi finals: vita vs mongols, spirit vs mouz
2025-08-08 20:55
0
#32
 | 
Czech Republic 2muchhh
Another free final for vitality, with spirit, mouz and falcons in the second part of the bracket. At least zywoo can farm his classic group stage rating before he disappears in the final.
2025-08-08 21:05
4
1 reply
#44
Faceit level 10  | 
fury | 
Finland (^w^)
Actually it's vitality & mongolz VS mouz & spirit. I would say that's pretty even. Wouldn't count falcons among the good teams until they prove they are one as well
2025-08-08 22:10
5
Lower bracket is too stacked.
2025-08-08 21:15
1
EZ for ST0MPN
2025-08-08 21:26
0
1 reply
Holy a fellow siege enjoyer
2025-08-08 22:10
0
#36
 | 
United States TheGr8One
boring tournament with single elimination format. watch some trash teams make it to the final 4 and win it
2025-08-08 21:33
0
#38
 | 
Colombia JaiS
1. Vitality 2. Spirit 3. Mouz 4. Navi
2025-08-08 21:40
0
Malbs revenge arc start here.
2025-08-08 21:48
1
A little bit confusing to put two irrelevant teams in the title. Were you paid by falcons and g2?
2025-08-08 21:49
2
1 reply
theyre just trying to help out smaller tier 3 tournament organizers out by giving them exposure
2025-08-08 22:06
1
I guess it makes sense to put irrelevant teams for the irrelevant tournament on the title
2025-08-08 21:52
1
#46
Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
 | 
Russia RomannumberOne
rip g2
2025-08-08 22:13
1
#47
Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
 | 
Brazil hugoooo
Why they hate Brazil?
2025-08-08 22:20
1
3 replies
Wdym
2025-08-09 00:57
0
2 replies
#56
Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
 | 
Brazil hugoooo
Crazy to see a big lan in 2025 without any Brazilians.
2025-08-09 01:16
1
1 reply
Furia skip the tournament, they were invited
2025-08-09 15:23
0
matys will mop up falcons
2025-08-08 23:35
0
cousin vs. cousin I now on which one to bet on (dont bet money thats dumb)
2025-08-09 00:46
3
3 replies
2025-08-13 05:42
0
2 replies
LUL flexing with the must obvious COI-trophy in history, where the winning team was already paying a player on the other team xD naah this trophy is worthless
2025-08-13 11:29
0
1 reply
it’s a picture bro relax
2025-08-13 18:00
0
Why no BR teams :(
2025-08-09 00:49
0
1 reply
#64
donk | 
Mongolia Kopist
Because when invitations was sent, there were no brasil teams on top 15 VRS points. Tyloo slot is from Asian champions league. Furia were 16th that time.
2025-08-09 13:16
1
#55
 | 
Netherlands xrnavkha
I guarantee you there is no hype for this blood money tournament, can’t convince me to watch this shit
2025-08-09 01:05
0
falcons will win this tournament because it is rigged
2025-08-09 01:30
0
#60
Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
kinkybdsm | 
Other MissingN0
falcons headlines? bro, they cant get out of groupstage. stop glazing them so much seriously. why?
2025-08-09 03:26
1
lets go falcons!
2025-08-09 03:28
0
#62
Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
Australia hoangii
Scriptwriters are cooking with the g2 falcons matchup
2025-08-09 06:27
0
no refunds
2025-08-09 21:34
0
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