AG.AL has been crowned Esports World Cup 2026 Club Champion, bringing seven weeks of competition in Paris, France to a close after more than 2,000 players, representing 200 Clubs and over 100 countries, competed across 25 tournaments in 24 games, for a record-breaking $75 million (~INR 717 crore) prize pool.
AG.AL secured the $7 million (~INR 66.9 crore) Club Championship title with 5,300 points after a dramatic win in Trackmania, completing a campaign that also included a first-place finish in Tekken 8, second-place finishes in Chess, Free Fire and the Honour of Kings World Cup, and a third-place finish in Teamfight Tactics. Team Falcons finished second with 4,600 points, followed by Team Vitality with 3,300 points, Natus Vincere with 2,950 points and Team Liquid with 2,700 points. Needing to finish third or better, Gwen dominated the final to claim the $130,000 (~INR 1.2 crore) tournament prize and the EWC 2026 Club Championship for AG.AL. “When we began expanding AG.AL globally in 2024, the same year the Esports World Cup launched, we set out to build a Club capable of succeeding across games, regions and cultures. Zubair’s breakthrough in TEKKEN 8 and our deep runs across multiple titles to Gwen delivering the decisive Trackmania victory under extraordinary pressure. From start to finish, EWC Paris 2026 showcased elite play and the very best of esports, as legends rose and new stars were born. Zubair” secured the TEKKEN 8 EWC championship trophy while claiming the Jafonso Award for emerging from the LCQ to win the title. The EWC 2026 was the culmination of a year-round competitive journey. More than 1.5 million players competed through 330 Road to EWC events, connecting publisher competitions, qualification pathways and the Club Championship into a global season that Clubs, players and fans could follow from the first qualifier to today’s final trophy lift. French Clubs competed in front of sold-out home audiences, more than 22,600 campaign placements carried EWC across the capital to reach 94% of Parisians, and tournament symbols appeared at the city’s most popular landmarks, including on the Champs-Élysées and beside the Eiffel Tower. Record ticket sales culminated with the final weekend’s Counter-Strike tournament moving to the 20,000-seat Accor Arena.
Two-time defending Club Champions Team Falcons entered the Trackmania playoffs leading the overall standings, but Carl-Antoni “Carl Jr. Cloutier’s quarterfinal exit opened the door for AG.AL. “Our journey in Paris reflected the strength of the entire organisation, from M. But this trophy belongs equally to every player, coach and staff member whose dedication brought us here. I want to thank our Chairman, Mr Layne Le, whose belief and leadership made this journey possible, and the Esports Foundation for creating a global stage that rewards the depth and ambition of an entire Club. Winning the Club Championship is a historic milestone for AG.AL and a proud moment for everyone who believed in what we are building. AG.AL’s Khawaja “M. As the first Esports World Cup hosted outside Riyadh, Paris marked a significant step in the event’s global evolution.
The title was decided on the final weekend, when AG.AL’s Gwendal “Gwen” Duparc won the EWC’s inaugural Trackmania tournament to secure the Club Championship. This title shows how far that vision has come,” said Eddy Chen, COO at AG.AL. France’s Caliste “Caliste” Henry-Hennebert led Karmine Corp on a fairytale run to the League of Legends Grand Final in front of a home crowd, while 15-year-old Chilean Jaime “Craime” Bustos defeated two EVO champions to become the youngest EWC champion in history. In the closing weeks, Samy “dralii” Hajji became the first ever three-time Esports World Cup champion after his third victory in Rocket League, and grandmaster Magnus Carlsen repeated as Chess champion without losing a single game.
