The Philippines won the Grand Champion trophy, Saudi Arabia announced as the next host country

Iași, Romania (September 4, 2023) – The International Esports Federation (IESF) proudly concludes the 15th World Esports Championship, where the Philippines emerged as the Grand Champion after ten days of thrilling competition and an unforgettable Closing Ceremony. 

WEC23 Gold Medalists:

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang – Philippines

PUBG Mobile – Kyrgyzstan

eFootball 2023 – Iran

Tekken7 – Pakistan

CS:GO – Sweden

CS:GO Female – Netherlands

Dota 2 – Mongolia

For ten days, the global esports community remained engaged throughout the tournament, breaking last year’s viewership record, with a peak of 700,796 viewers during the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Grand Final. The Philippines and Indonesia once again showcased their power in esports, reaffirming their status as global leaders in both national success and esports popularity.

Philippines: Grand Champions

A historic 601 esports players from 111 countries competed across six game titles: CS:GO, Dota 2, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, eFootball 2023, Tekken 7, and PUBG Mobile, with all the action live-streamed on IESF’s YouTube and Twitch channels. This year’s championship also featured the Women’s CS:GO tournament, doubling the number of teams from last year, with the Netherlands emerging as the champions.

Beyond the esports excitement, the 15th WE Championship included insightful panel discussions with thought leaders, activations with IESF partner FitGMR, a ComicCon event, creating an interactive and engaging experience for attendees. 

IESF hosted a three-day music festival during the Finals in partnership with Digital Throne, Romania’s biggest pop culture festival, featuring performances by international artists like Armin van Buuren and Lost Frequencies. The extravagant Closing Ceremony at the Palace of Culture featured speeches by IESF President Vlad Marinescu and Iasi Mayor Mihai Cirica, with HRH Prince Faisal Bin Bandar Bin Sultan Al Saud presenting the Philippines with the Grand Champion Trophy to celebrate the athletes’ hard work and performances.

IESF General Secretary Boban Totovski said:

We are proud to crown the Philippines as the Grand Champion and congratulate all our finalists for their outstanding performances throughout the tournament. This event further cemented IESF as the home of international esports. We would like to thank our athletes, the city of Iași, our partners, and everyone who made it possible to unite the World Esports Family and make history in Romania.

Brian Lim, the President of the Philippine Esports Federation said:

Being a Grand Champion is a long-time dream and a testament to what Filipinos can achieve when working in unity in the most beautiful sport of the future. Esports! Mabuhay Pilipinas!

The city of Iași’s culturally rich and youthful atmosphere exceeded expectations as 100,000 fans came together to celebrate esports and support their countries, solidifying Romania’s position as a leading esports destination.

Saudi Arabia to Host 16th World Esports Championship

At the Closing Ceremony, IESF’s President Vlad Marinescu officially handed over the IESF flag to Saudi Arabia, which will host the 16th World Esports Championship in 2024. This marks the first time Saudi Arabia will host IESF’s flagship event, where athletes compete under their national flags. 

HRH Prince Faisal Bin Bandar Bin Sultan Al Saud, President of the Saudi Esports Federation, said:

We are thrilled to host the IESF’s 16th World Esports Championship in Saudi Arabia in 2024 to demonstrate our strong support for IESF. A warm welcome is extended to esports enthusiasts from around the globe. Our unwavering commitment lies in delivering a world-class event that not only reflects our passion for esports but also underscores our dedication to its expansion. Together, we look forward to creating an unforgettable championship experience in the heart of Riyadh.

IESF President Vlad Marinescu said:

As we wrap up a truly historic edition of the World Esports Championship, it is an honor to announce Saudi Arabia as the next host country that will welcome the World Esports Family. We look forward to working with Saudi Arabia, the local organizing committee, the Saudi Esports Federation, and our incredible partners to keep the momentum going and continue to grow and promote esports on the global stage.

The final announcement regarding the dates of the 2024 WE Championship National and Regional Qualifiers and Finals are to be published in the upcoming period.

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