BIG advances to Esports World Cup, aims for top 10

BIG secured a place at the Esports World Cup with a 2-1 victory over Sashi in the open qualifier held Aug. 7–9, 2026. The result followed 2-0 wins over Fluxo, Eternal Fire and GenOne on the way to qualification.

The deciding match was the third best-of-three of the day. BIG dropped a map, regrouped and closed out the series 2-1. Teams sat only a few rows apart during the contest, producing audible banter and an atmosphere described by players as reminiscent of older Counter-Strike events.

Jon “JDC” de Castro and teammate tabseN said the on-site interaction felt nostalgic. The squad had competed in the XSE Pro League in China the previous month, finishing 5th–8th after a quarterfinal loss to PARIVISION. BIG then took two weeks off before returning to practice about a week ahead of the qualifier.

JDC called the World Cup “probably one of the Majors” given its $2 million prize pool and the level of competition. He added, “We have been very successful in the tier-two, tier-three runs and tournaments. We’ve been winning them, but this is not our goal.”

On preparation, JDC said the break refreshed the roster and a short block of practice improved creativity and energy. He outlined a game-by-game approach for the main event and set targets to push into the global top 15, with an eye on the top 10.

BIG is the second team to qualify for the Esports World Cup. The team will begin its main-event schedule on Aug. 12 against Aurora. The organization has not confirmed other major tournaments and said roster and event planning remain under review.