The prestigious S-Tier tournament Esports World Cup 2026 in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 has concluded in Paris at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles arena. The competition was held in an offline format from August 5 to 9, 2026, and was organized by the Esports Foundation and ESL FACEIT Group. The total prize pool of the tournament amounted to $1,800,000.
The American organization OpTic Gaming emerged as the tournament champion, claiming the grand prize of $600,000. In the decisive grand final (Bo9 format), the team secured a 5:3 victory over Team Heretics. The title of Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament was awarded to OpTic Gaming's player, Shotzzy.
OpTic Gaming's playoff run was flawless: they swept FaZe Clan (4:0) in the quarterfinals, and in a fiercely contested semifinal, they defeated 100 Thieves (4:3). In turn, the silver medalists, Team Heretics, overcame G2 Esports (4:3) and cleanly swept Team Falcons (4:0). In the third-place match, the 100 Thieves squad proved stronger than Team Falcons (4:3).
Distribution of the prize pool and Club Points among the leaders:
A total of 16 teams (64 esports athletes) participated in the tournament. The competition consisted of a group stage (two GSL groups of 8 teams in a Bo5 format) and playoffs using a Single Elimination system (Bo7 in the quarterfinals/semifinals and Bo9 in the grand final). More than half of all tournament participants were representatives from the United States — 35 players (55%), followed by the United Kingdom with 8 players (13%).
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