Unfortunately, NAVI fell short of securing the championship title at the Esports World Cup 2026 in PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS. The Ukrainian roster finished the tournament in 3rd place, despite maintaining a realistic chance at victory right up until the final two matches.
Final Top 3:
Heading into the final two maps, Virtus.pro held first place in the overall standings. However, their finish was far from ideal—on both the penultimate and final maps, the team managed only 14th place, scoring a minimal number of points. This meant the title race remained wide open.
NAVI had a prime opportunity to capitalize on the leader's stumbles. To pull it off, the Ukrainian squad needed a strong showing in the final two games: fighting for map wins, consistently securing top-placement finishes, and racking up as many frags as possible.
Going into the final map, NAVI held second place overall and still had a shot at the championship. However, the closing stretch of the tournament proved to be the toughest for the Ukrainian team: NAVI failed to finish in the top 10 on both of the final two maps, missing the chance to capitalize on Virtus.pro's slips. Ultimately, VP held onto their lead to be crowned Esports World Cup 2026 champions, while The Vicious delivered a strong final map performance to gather the required points and edge out NAVI by just two points. As a result, the Ukrainian squad wrapped up the tournament in third place, taking home the bronze medals.
Throughout the tournament, many fans noted that Virtus.pro often benefited from favorable zone pulls and game situations, allowing them to consistently collect crucial points. Nevertheless, the decisive factor was the lead they accumulated over the course of the finals, which competitors were ultimately unable to overcome in the closing matches.
Despite the disappointing finish, NAVI delivered a strong performance overall, remaining in contention for the title until the very end. Their bronze medal at the Esports World Cup 2026 once again confirms that the Ukrainian team belongs among the absolute best PUBG rosters in the world.
Despite missing out on the PUBG trophy, NAVI maintain a strong lead in the Esports World Cup 2026 Club Championship standings. The Ukrainian organization has already claimed a championship title in Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, secured 2nd place in the women's Mobile Legends: Bang Bang tournament, and now adds PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS bronze to its tally. Thanks to consistent performances across multiple disciplines, NAVI remain in first place in the overall EWC 2026 rankings, continuing their fight for the title of the world's best esports organization.
As a reminder: Esports World Cup to Host Free Esports Festival on the Champs-Élysées.
