Welsh national esports body, Esports Wales, will send its HADO team to compete in Shanghai, China, for the HADO World Cup 2025 on May 24th 2025.
Alongside Scottish Esports and Esports England, the teams will compete for the grand prize of over £260,000 (¥2,500,000), with second place set to receive over £125,000 (¥1,200,000) and third place earning over £80,000 (¥800,000).
On top of the main prizes, there will be special rewards for the Golden Energy Award (individual) and Best Performance Award (team). Each category comes with a prize of over £15,500 (¥150,000).
Hado is an AR (augmented reality) sport, combining physical activity with digital gameplay, where players use headsets and armbands to launch virtual energy balls and shields.
Set to take place later this month during the HADO Virtual Sports Festival, the team will compete on the deck of a massive 1,000-square-meter barge boat, designed specifically for the tournament.
British national esports bodies qualify through the European Championships
Esports Wales qualified for the World Cup last year at the European Championships, which were held at Warwick University.
During the World Cup, they’ll face off against fellow British esports bodies Scottish Esports and Esports England.
The full list of European teams includes England, Wales, Scotland, Turkey, France, Greece, Spain, and the Netherlands.
HADO Virtual Sports Festival
During the World Cup, spectators are encouraged to enjoy the surrounding festival alongside the main event at the Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal.
The virtual sports festival will last from May 23rd to May 25th, featuring a gourmet food market, a climbing wall challenge, virtual sports experience, creative art displays, live music, and the HADO Experience Zone.
The festival will also feature special matches with the HADO Exhibition Match and HADO 2v2 Global Open 2025, where Esports Wales will also compete.
Attendees can also explore the local area of Shanghai, which includes the HADO ARENA Global Flagship Store just a few short minutes away.
The HADO World Cup will be held on Saturday, May 24th, with matches set to be streamed on their official YouTube channel.
Having written for Esports News UK since 2022, I’ve cultivated an extensive knowledge of all things esports.
Covering a wide variety of topics during my time as an esports journalist, it’s safe to say I’m a jack of all trades, if you’ll pardon the pun.
