VIA GRAPHIC PLUS — From July 6 to August 23, Paris will host a tournament series with a total prize pool of $75 million to decide the world’s strongest esports organization.
The Esports World Cup will feature championships in 24 esports, as well as a chess competition. A total of 40 teams from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, South America, and North America will fight for the title. In this 1xBet review, we have put together a shortlist of the top contenders.
Team Falcons
The Saudi roster has won the last two Esports World Cups and has every chance to win a 3rd straight title. Falcons have qualified for more Esports World Cup events than any other squad, with 21 appearances. After signing Finn “karrigan” Andersen, their Counter-Strike 2 roster won the Cologne Major by beating Team Vitality and Team Spirit. They also moved to the top of the Valve rankings.
Team Falcons is home to Anders “Vejrgang” Vejrgang, the best EA FC 26 esports player. He won the 2026 eChampions League and is the top favorite to win in Paris. The Saudi organization also ranks in the world’s top 10 in Dota 2 and the top 15 in PUBG and Overwatch.
Team Falcons can surprise with high-profile transfers in any competition category. At the previous Esports World Cup, they won silver and bronze medals in chess thanks to partnerships with grandmasters Alireza Firouzja and Hikaru Nakamura.
Team Vitality
Team Vitality finished 3rd in the overall standings of the 2025 Esports World Cup and could make a big leap forward this year. They have qualified for 19 tournaments in the upcoming series, more than any lineup except Team Falcons. Despite the loss in Cologne, Team Vitality still has the strongest Counter-Strike 2 squad, along with promising rosters in Rocket League and many other mobile esports titles.
Last season, they won silver in EA FC 25 and bronze in Rennsport and Free Fire. This year, the Esports World Cup will be held in Paris for the first time, and support from local fans could help the French organization reach a new level.
Team Liquid
Team Liquid has always set the standard for the multi-game approach in esports, and it helped them finish as runners-up last year. They have qualified for only 8 competitions at the 2026 Esports World Cup, and rank 11th among all organizations. Even so, they have a strong chance to win almost every title.
Last year, world champion Magnus Carlsen played for Team Liquid in the chess tournament. Manuel “ManuBachoore” Bachoore and Levi “Levi de Weerd” de Weerd led the team to a dominant performance in EA FC 25, finishing 1st and 3rd. The Stallions are also among the world’s top 10 Dota 2 teams.
Asian organizations are also among the top favorites to win gold at the 2026 Esports World Cup. The Chinese organization has qualified for 16 tournaments and has an excellent chance in Honor of Kings, League of Legends, and several mobile esports. Last year, AG.AL finished 6th overall. This year, with teams competing across many titles, the organization could join the championship race.
Gen.G
The South Korean organization stands out for its balanced multi-game lineup. It may not have superstars like Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut from Team Vitality, Michał “Nisha” Jankowski from Team Liquid, or Anders “Vejrgang” Vejrgang and Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov from Team Falcons. However, it consistently scores points across many titles. Gen.G finished 7th overall last year. This year, thanks to its dominance in League of Legends and strong PUBG and Valorant rosters, the South Korean organization has a real chance to compete for the championship title.
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