The 2017 Overwatch World Cup was an Overwatch esports tournament, organized by Blizzard Entertainment, the game's developer. It was the second Overwatch World Cup and featured 32 represented nations from around the world, with the final tournament taking place at the Anaheim Convention Center from November 3–4, 2017.

The event had notably been controversial and criticized due to several issues, including China's visa denial, Twitch MVP voting, and redrawing of playoff matches. Twitch streams of the event accumulated over 5.4 million views.

The final took place on November 4 between South Korea and Canada. South Korea won 4–1, winning their second straight World Cup title.

Teams

Players and committees

Each qualified region had three representatives form that region's Competition Committee. Blizzard chose a shortlist of candidates for each nation, in which the players and viewers of their respective nations voted from April 30 to May 5 on to become their nations committee. The committee members of each nation were announced on May 8. They players representing each country were selected by their National Competition Committee.

Qualification

The top 32 countries/regions based on the average skill rating of the top 100 players from that particular country/region qualified for the tournament. Qualification began on March 29, and the qualified countries were announced on April 25. The top 32 national teams were seeded into eight groups spread across four different regions: Shanghai, Sydney, Katowice and Santa Monica, California. Each group played a round-robin schedule of matches. The top two teams in each group advanced to a single-elimination, one-game playoff bracket to qualify for the final tournament at BlizzCon.

Qualified Did not qualify

Qualified by skill rating (32)

Venues

ShanghaiSydneyKatowiceSanta MonicaAnaheim
ShanghaiSydney
Yun Space, Baoshan VenueThe Star Event Centre
Capacity: 1,500
KatowiceSanta Monica
ESL ArenaBarker Hangar
Capacity: 150Capacity: 1,600
Anaheim
Anaheim Convention Center
Capacity: 7,500

Group stage

Shanghai qualifier

Group A
PosTeamMR (W-D-L)GRRDQualification
Group A Pos Team MR (W-D-L) GR RD Qualification 1 China China (H) 3–0–0 12–0 +12 Advance to group finals 2 Norway Norway 2–0–1 7–5 +2 3 Hong Kong Hong Kong 0–1–2 3–9 −6 4 Romania Romania 0–1–2 2–10 −8Group B Pos Team MR (W-D-L) GR RD Qualification 1 France France 3–0–0 10–2 +10 Advance to group finals 2 Thailand Thailand 1–1–1 7–5 +2 3 Denmark Denmark 1–1–1 6–6 +0 4 Argentina Argentina 0–0–3 1–11 −10
1China China (H)3–0–012–0+12Advance to group finals
2Norway Norway2–0–17–5+2
3Hong Kong Hong Kong0–1–23–9−6
4Romania Romania0–1–22–10−8
PosTeamMR (W-D-L)GRRDQualification
1France France3–0–010–2+10Advance to group finals
2Thailand Thailand1–1–17–5+2
3Denmark Denmark1–1–16–6+0
4Argentina Argentina0–0–31–11−10
Group Finals
A1China3
B2Thailand0
B1France3
A2Norway0

Source:

Sydney qualifier

Group C
PosTeamMR (W-D-L)GRRDQualification
Group C Pos Team MR (W-D-L) GR RD Qualification 1 Sweden Sweden 2–1–0 9–3 +6 Advance to group finals 2 Australia Australia (H) 2–0–1 9–3 +6 3 Portugal Portugal 1–1–1 6–6 +0 4 Italy Italy 0–0–3 0–12 −12Group D Pos Team MR (W-D-L) GR RD Qualification 1 Japan Japan 2–1–0 9–3 +6 Advance to group finals 2 Spain Spain 2–0–1 9–3 +6 3 Finland Finland 1–1–1 6–6 +0 4 Vietnam Vietnam 0–0–3 0–12 −12
1Sweden Sweden2–1–09–3+6Advance to group finals
2Australia Australia (H)2–0–19–3+6
3Portugal Portugal1–1–16–6+0
4Italy Italy0–0–30–12−12
PosTeamMR (W-D-L)GRRDQualification
1Japan Japan2–1–09–3+6Advance to group finals
2Spain Spain2–0–19–3+6
3Finland Finland1–1–16–6+0
4Vietnam Vietnam0–0–30–12−12
Group Finals
C1Sweden3
D2Spain0
D1Japan2
C2Australia3

Source:

Katowice qualifier

Group E
PosTeamMR (W-D-L)GRRDQualification
Group E Pos Team MR (W-D-L) GR RD Qualification 1 South Korea South Korea 3–0–0 12–0 +12 Advance to group finals 2 Netherlands Netherlands 2–0–1 8–4 +4 3 Poland Poland (H) 1–0–2 4–8 −4 4 Austria Austria 0–0–3 0–12 −12Group F Pos Team MR (W-D-L) GR RD Qualification 1 Canada Canada 2–1–0 10–2 +8 Advance to group finals 2 Russia Russia 2–1–0 10–2 +8 3 Singapore Singapore 0–1–2 2–8 −6 4 Turkey Turkey 0–1–2 2–8 −6
1South Korea South Korea3–0–012–0+12Advance to group finals
2Netherlands Netherlands2–0–18–4+4
3Poland Poland (H)1–0–24–8−4
4Austria Austria0–0–30–12−12
PosTeamMR (W-D-L)GRRDQualification
1Canada Canada2–1–010–2+8Advance to group finals
2Russia Russia2–1–010–2+8
3Singapore Singapore0–1–22–8−6
4Turkey Turkey0–1–22–8−6
Group Finals
E1Canada3
F2Netherlands0
F1South Korea3
E2Russia0

Source:

Santa Monica qualifier

Group G
PosTeamMR (W-D-L)GRRDQualification
Group G Pos Team MR (W-D-L) GR RD Qualification 1 United States United States (H) 3–0–0 11–1 +10 Advance to group finals 2 Chinese Taipei Chinese Taipei 2–0–1 9–3 +6 3 Brazil Brazil 1–0–2 3–9 −6 4 New Zealand New Zealand 0–0–3 1–11 −10Group H Pos Team MR (W-D-L) GR RD Qualification 1 United Kingdom United Kingdom 3–0–0 12–0 +12 Advance to group finals 2 Germany Germany 2–0–1 7–6 +1 3 Israel Israel 1–0–2 5–8 −3 4 Belgium Belgium 0–0–3 1–11 −10
1United States United States (H)3–0–011–1+10Advance to group finals
2Chinese Taipei Chinese Taipei2–0–19–3+6
3Brazil Brazil1–0–23–9−6
4New Zealand New Zealand0–0–31–11−10
PosTeamMR (W-D-L)GRRDQualification
1United Kingdom United Kingdom3–0–012–0+12Advance to group finals
2Germany Germany2–0–17–6+1
3Israel Israel1–0–25–8−3
4Belgium Belgium0–0–31–11−10
Group Finals
G1United States3
H2Germany0
H1United Kingdom3
G2Chinese Taipei0

Source:

Knockout stage

South Korea versus Canada in the 2017 Overwatch World Cup Finals.

On August 28, brackets were drawn to determine the match-ups for the quarterfinals. The bracket draw was only announced after the final group stage, which is one of the reasons why many people believe that Blizzard added in a bracket draw to prevent team USA from playing South Korea in the quarterfinals as that was the match-up by default after the group stage. A week before the actual playoff stage, 4 out of 6 players in China's Overwatch World Cup team were denied from the tournament due to visa issues, receiving widespread criticism.

Quarterfinals and semifinals were both supposed to be played on Nov 3, but due to the quarterfinals games running later than expected, the semifinals games were moved to Nov 4, right before the final match.

Bracket

QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinals
China China1
France France3
France France1
South Korea South Korea3
South Korea South Korea4
United States United States2
South Korea South Korea4
Canada Canada1
United Kingdom United Kingdom0
Sweden Sweden3
Sweden Sweden2Third place
Canada Canada3
Canada Canada3Sweden Sweden4
Australia Australia2France France2

Awards

Most Valuable Player (MVP): xQc

External links