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Esports World Cup 2026: Thrilling finals produce new champions across EA FC, PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS and Teamfight Tactics

Underdog RvPLegend wins the EA FC 26 title after a fairytale run, Virtus.pro dominates PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, and Team Vision claims Teamfight Tactics glory

Updated on: Jul 29, 2026, 18:04:36 IST
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The third week of Esports World Cup 2026 action is in the bag. Three more trophies have been handed out, thousands of Club Championship points distributed, and millions in prize money handed out. Week 3 saw Teamfight Tactics kick off the weekend, before a double-header of PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS and EA FC 26 closed out the action.

Virtus.pro took the PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS at EWC 2026 crown
Virtus.pro took the PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS at EWC 2026 crown

The EA FC action saw two underdogs fighting out to claim the coveted Diogo Jota FC Pro World Championship trophy. With both players having made amazing runs through the play-ins to make it to the Grand Final, it was a Cinderella story for whoever won. Razvan "RvPLegend" Puiu claimed victory in a Grand Final that was full of twists and turns. His opponent, Levy "levyfinn" Rieck, was the slight favourite, but the 6-5 final score did both players justice.

Razvan "RvPLegend" Puiu walked away with $ 250,000 (~INR 2.3 crore) from the overall $1,000,000 (~INR 9.5 crore) prize pool. But he also took a huge step up the global rankings. The Romanian started EWC 2026 in 30th place, and this victory saw him climb to 4th.

_“I’m a world champion. I cannot describe the feeling; I’m just crying, I cannot speak,”_ *said Razvan "RvPLegend" Puiu following the grand final.* _“I will just still try to play my game and just try to be the best version of me I can. Don't be afraid, first of all. Follow your dreams. One day they will come true.”_

Meanwhile, Virtus.pro took the PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS at EWC 2026 crown, and they made it look easy across the three days of competition. With 16 sides battling it out, it was Virtus.pro that set the pace by the end of day two, securing 126 points to set the match point total at 136. From that point on, they played a tactical masterclass, with other teams so far behind them, Virtus.pro made sure to stay consistent and keep their points lead rather than risk it all to end the tournament early through the match point rule. The four-man squad saw their consistency rewarded with the trophy, the $650,000 (~INR 6.2 crore) grand prize, and 1,000 Club Championship points.

For his performance throughout the tournament, Virtus.pro's Nino "NIXZYEE" Mikec was named the SONY MVP. He landed 33 finishes, 32 knockdowns, and had an average survival time throughout the tournament of 21 minutes and 21 seconds. As a result of his spectacular performance, the Virtus.pro player took home an additional $25,000 (~INR 23.9 lakh) along with the MVP prize.

_“It’s an insane feeling, the emotions we are going through. I’m just happy that I’ve done it with this team and no one else. Of course, I'm super proud of them,”_ *said Nino "NIXZYEE" Mikec.* _“We knew when we stepped here that this was our stage. It was a nice feeling, but it was very stressful.”_

In Teamfight Tactics, Team Vision took down Aurora Gaming 3-0 in the grand final. Both teams made it to the grand final through gruelling lower bracket runs in the group stage, but the two most competitive teams made it through, and fans were given a tactical masterclass in the grand final. Team Vision’s victory secured them $150,000 (~INR 1.4 crore) and 1,000 Club Championship points as they pulled off a dominating display.

Team Vision’s lower bracket run was caused by an early defeat to Flash Wolves, but they would then beat T1 in the lower bracket to secure a spot in the playoffs. First up was Virtus.pro, before a chance to get revenge on Flash Wolves in a 2-1 victory. Lastly was the grand final against Aurora Gaming, who had the reigning solo Tactician's Crown holder Ge "Huanmie" Wuxin on their roster, but Team Vision were able to prevail with superior tactics and gameplay.

Yan "Flancy" Lingyu was named SONY MVP after he captained his side to victory at EWC 2026, earning an extra $25,000.

_“I would like to believe that this MVP was deserved for everyone on my team. In the 4v4 format, we were able to pull through. Of course, I want to thank you, fans and the people behind the camera. This MVP is for you,”_ *said Yan "Flancy" Lingyu after being presented the award.*

Elsewhere, the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Mid Season Cup is still very much live, running into next week with its grand final locked in for Saturday, August 1. Eight teams have secured spots in the Knockout Stage, as they look to take the grand prize and lift up the Mid Season Cup. Team Falcons PH beat out sister-team Team Falcons MENA, who will face Team Vitality in the quarterfinals, with victory for either side having huge implications for the Club Championship.

With three weeks of action now settled, the Club Championship is starting to take shape. NAVI lead the way with 2,250 points, though they won’t play again until Counter-Strike 2 and Trackmania in the final week. Virtus.pro sit in second place with 1,950 points, while Team Vitality are in third place with 1,800 points. Having won in Teamfight Tactics, and a second-place finish in Apex Legends, Team Vision moved into fourth place in the standings. EWC 2024 and EWC 2025 Club Championship winners Team Falcons are in sixth place with 1,300 points, though they are yet to secure a game victory required to win the title.

  • Aratrick Mondal
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Aratrick Mondal

    Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More

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