Vitality Goes All-In on Warzone and Two More FPS Titles for EWC 2026
Team Vitality isn't messing around when it comes to the 2026 Esports World Cup. The French organization dropped a major announcement on February 11th, revealing three new FPS rosters across Call of Duty: Warzone, PUBG, and CrossFire. After finishing Top 3 in the overall club standings at last year's EWC, they're clearly hungry for more, and this expansion shows they're serious about climbing even higher.
A Warzone Roster Built for EWC Glory
Vitality's return to competitive Warzone hits different this time around. They've assembled a trio of battle-hardened veterans who know exactly what it takes to perform when the pressure's on. The roster brings together players who've already proven themselves on the Esports World Cup stage, combining experience with raw talent.
The Call of Duty: Warzone squad features:
- Angel "Sage" Quinones (Mexican/Guatemalan) - 3rd place finisher at EWC 2025
- Rasim "Blazt" Ogresevic (American) - 4th place finisher at EWC 2025
- Logan "Skullface" Greifelt (American) - 4th place finisher at EWC 2025
- Ethan "Ebatez" Bates (American) - Coach
That's three players who've already tasted success at the highest level. Rounding out the squad is coach Ebatez, who'll be tasked with fine-tuning their strategies and keeping them sharp throughout the grind. The team's path to EWC starts immediately with the Warzone Resurgence Series, a qualifying circuit that culminates in two crucial LAN finals at DreamHack Birmingham and DreamHack Atlanta. Only the top-performing trios will punch their tickets to the main event, so there's no room for slip-ups.
Chasing That Top Spot
Here's where things get interesting. All three games Vitality just announced, Warzone, PUBG, and CrossFire, count toward the Esports World Cup Club Championship, where first place alone pays out $7 million. The Club Championship runs across 24 different titles throughout the summer, with organizations earning points based on their best finish in each game. A first-place finish nets 1,000 points, second place earns 750, and even a top-eight showing grabs you points.
By expanding into three more eligible titles, Vitality isn't just diversifying their portfolio, they're maximizing their opportunities to rack up points. With their Counter-Strike and VALORANT squads already dominant forces in their respective scenes, adding Warzone, PUBG, and CrossFire creates more potential point-scoring avenues. Organizations need at least two top-eight finishes to qualify for the Club Championship, and to actually win it, you need at least one tournament victory. Vitality's strategy is clear: field competitive rosters across as many titles as possible and let the points stack up.
"We're thrilled to expand our FPS era for the 2026 edition of the Esports World Cup," said Fabien "Neo" Devide, President and co-founder of Team Vitality. "After a triumphant Top 3 finish in the overall club standings last year, we're more determined than ever to build on that momentum by investing in starpower rosters across PUBG, Call of Duty: Warzone, and CrossFire."
The PUBG and CrossFire Additions
While Warzone takes center stage, Vitality's other two announcements shouldn't be overlooked. The PUBG roster marks a return to the scene after the organization competed there from 2018 to 2019. This time, they're bringing in talent from Nemiga and Geekay, including players who recently secured 6th place at the PUBG Global Championship.
The PUBG (PC) roster includes:
- Aliaksandr "Gedrox" Puchko (Belarusian)
- Vladislav "Lev4nte" Tasenko (Russian)
- Andrey "Qw1zzy" Pobedinskiy (Russian)
- Artem "hallomybad" Baskakov (Russian)
- Ramazan "H1RUZEN" Valiullin (Russian) - Coach
- Sergei "MrTok" Britok (Russian) - Manager
CrossFire represents brand new territory for Vitality. They've acquired the former ROC Esports roster, an all-Egyptian squad based in their own gaming house. The team will compete in the CrossFire West League across two splits in March/April and June/July, with those results serving as their gateway to the Esports World Cup.
The CrossFire lineup features:
- Youssef "tottziN" Nasser (Egyptian)
- Ahmed "SNARE" Salah (Egyptian)
- Mohamed "Snake" Ahmed (Egyptian)
- Mohamed "Horus" Mahrous (Egyptian)
- Abdelrahman "slayer" Fawzy (Egyptian)
- Andrei "strey" Solovev (Russian) - Coach
- Kislay "Drolo" Satyaj (Indian) - General Manager
- Ammar "Apps" Ahmed (Egyptian) - Substitute
- Abdelrhman "Bone" Mahmoud (Egyptian) - Substitute
They're positioning themselves as dark horses from the West, aiming to challenge the Chinese that have long dominated the scene.
A New Era Begins
Team Vitality's expansion reflects a broader trend in esports where organizations are diversifying their portfolios to maximize their presence at major multi-game events like the Esports World Cup. With 24 titles featured at EWC 2026 and a $75 million prize pool on the line, the stakes have never been higher. Vitality's already proven they can compete at the top in tactical shooters like Counter-Strike, and now they're betting that same championship DNA will translate across battle royale and other FPS formats.
The road to Riyadh starts now, and for Vitality's Warzone squad, the journey begins with qualifying through the Resurgence Series. If Sage and crew can channel the same energy that got them on the podium last year, Vitality's fans will have plenty to cheer about come summer.
Don't forget to follow Strafe Esports for the latest news about your favorite esports and to check out our X account for the most recent content and coverage.
Also, stay tuned to the Strafe YouTube channel for exclusive interviews, press conferences, and much more.
Featured Image Credit: Team Vitality
READ MORE:
Vitality Topples FURIA To Win IEM Krakow 2026
LoL Patch 26.04 Preview: Graves Buffs, Naafiri Nerfs, and More
Riot Games Downsizes 2XKO Team Following Modest Season 1 Launch Numbers
EWCF Announces Counter-Strike 2 For Esports Nations Cup 2026

