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The first week of the Esports World Cup 2025 delivered action-packed tournaments in Rennsport, FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves, VALORANT, and Apex Legends. Fans were treated to intense matchups, surprise wins, and fierce competition as teams battled for spots in the finals.
Week 1 Recap: Standouts & Surprises
In Rennsport, nine sim racing teams fought for six playoff spots. Porsche Coanda, Virtus.pro, and Team Redline had already advanced, while Atlassian Williams Sim Racing, Team Vitality, and MOUZ claimed the remaining spots.
The big surprise came when Team Vitality upset top-seeded Porsche Coanda. With all members having raced together under R8G Esports, their strong chemistry helped carry them to the finals, where they faced off against powerhouse Team Redline, led by Kevin Siggy and F1 Sim Racing champ Sebastian Job.
Though the odds were against them, Vitality’s determination and teamwork won over the crowd. Their impressive run showed that anything can happen at EWC 2025 – and this is just the beginning.
Fatal Fury: COTW at EWC 2025
GO1 ends Nemo vs Xiaohai rematch hopes
The Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves tournament at EWC 2025 didn’t go as expected. Goichi “GO1” Kishida knocked out Naoki “Nemo” Nemoto in the group stage, stopping a much-hyped rematch between Nemo and Zeng “Xiaohai” Zhuojun, who had faced off at CEO 2025.
GO1 then faced Xiaohai in the finals. While most expected Xiaohai to win easily, GO1 held his own with smart defense and strong play. His performance surprised many and made the final match one to remember.
VALORANT at EWC 2025
Paper Rex and Fnatic rivalry takes a new turn
At EWC 2025, the VALORANT rivalry between Paper Rex and Fnatic took center stage. Both teams came in hot after strong runs, with their last meeting at VCT Masters Toronto ending in a big win for Paper Rex. This time, Fnatic got their revenge, beating Paper Rex 2-1 in the semifinals after both teams went undefeated in groups.
But the real surprise was Team Heretics. After finishing last in Toronto, they came back strong. They swept Paper Rex and then gave Fnatic a serious fight in a grand final that went all five maps.
Apex Legends at EWC 2025
Alliance and Team Falcons rivalry takes a back seat
At the ALGS Midseason Playoffs during EWC 2025, Alliance topped the 10-match group stage, looking to finally break their streak of close finishes. Team Falcons, who had beaten Alliance earlier at the ALGS 2025 Open, followed close behind and were hoping to defend their 2024 Club Championship title.
But in the end, neither team took the crown. VK Gaming stole the spotlight, claiming the win and putting the Alliance vs Falcons rivalry on pause – at least for now.
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