PUBG Esports World Cup 2026: Teams to Watch in Paris
Made in Thailand, Virtus.pro, Team Vitality and Twisted Minds are top contenders for the PUBG: Battlegrounds title in Paris, where teams will compete for a $2.025 million prize pool.
The Grand Finals of the PUBG: Battlegrounds competition at the Esports World Cup in Paris will bring top regional rosters together to contest a $2.025 million prize pool. The event follows a relocation from Riyadh to Paris announced by organizers.
Made in Thailand arrives in Paris after winning Circuit 2 Series 1 and the Circuit 2 Series Final in 2026. The roster has not finished lower than second in the last two months and is listed around 11/2 in early outright betting markets.
Virtus.pro qualified with mixed results across the season. The European team won the Circuit 1 Series Final, placed fifth at the Circuit 2 Series Final and finished second at the EMEA Championship. Those results placed Virtus.pro second in the PGC standings.
Team Vitality is the sole French representative in PUBG: Battlegrounds at the event following the venue change. Vitality’s best 2026 finishes include fourth at the Spring EMEA Championship and a top-eight at the Circuit 2 Series Final. The team will compete in front of a local Paris crowd.
Twisted Minds are the defending Esports World Cup champions. The roster recorded two third-place finishes in recent months and holds past EWC and other high-profile tournament victories. Twisted Minds are listed around 8/1 in pre-tournament markets; the roster is majority-Russian.
Betting markets for the tournament show a wide range of odds, with favorites priced near 11/2 and longshots up to about 100/1. Other teams appearing in early markets include 17 Gaming and NAVI, each trading around 6/1.
Organizers and tournament analysts point to the battle royale format’s combination of individual aim, team coordination and in-game variance as factors that produce varied match outcomes and broad betting markets.
The Esports World Cup is one of the main international events for PUBG: Battlegrounds, bringing together top teams from multiple regions. Results from the Grand Finals will affect season standings and influence seeding for upcoming international competitions.
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