RIYADH: Since the launch of the club championship in 2024, Saudi organizations have established themselves as a dominant force on the global electronic sports stage.
Team Falcons claimed the inaugural title before successfully defending their crown in 2025, setting the benchmark for what sustained excellence across multiple esports titles looks like.
Now, as the Esports World Cup arrives in Paris for the first time, the challenge facing Saudi clubs is greater than ever.
The club championship remains the defining competitive storyline of the EWC, rewarding organizations that can compete consistently across multiple titles rather than relying on success in a single game. With points accumulated across the tournament calendar, depth, versatility and long-term performance are all essential ingredients for success.
No organization embodies that approach better than Team Falcons.
The two-time defending champions currently lead all clubs in qualifications for EWC 2026, securing places in 18 tournaments across the competition. Their broad presence across multiple titles once again positions them among the favorites to challenge for the club championship.
Falcons’ strength lies not only in the number of tournaments they have qualified for, but in the depth of talent they have assembled across some of e-sports’ biggest titles. The organization remains one of the strongest competitors in “Rocket League,” where its star-studded roster continues to rank among the world’s elite. The team is also expected to compete in “Counter-Strike 2,” “Call of Duty: Warzone” and “Chess,” highlighting the breadth of talent that has helped establish the organization as a consistent club championship contender.
The club’s success at the EWC has been built on consistency across multiple competitions, including a championship victory in “Overwatch 2” at EWC 2025.
However, Falcons are no longer carrying Saudi Arabia’s hopes alone.
Twisted Minds have emerged as one of the fastest-growing organizations in e-sports and have already secured qualification in nine tournaments at EWC 2026. The organization has established itself as a serious contender through strong performances across multiple titles, including championship victories in “PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS” and “Call of Duty: Warzone” at EWC 2025.
Their continued growth has strengthened Saudi Arabia’s presence within the club championship race and added another organization capable of competing with the world’s elite.
Together, Falcons and Twisted Minds represent a new era for Saudi e-sports, one built on sustained investment, competitive success, and the ability to compete across a growing number of global titles.
The path to another club championship, however, will be far from straightforward.
Team Vitality enters EWC 2026 as perhaps the most immediate threat to Saudi Arabia’s ambitions. The French organization has established itself as one of the most successful multi-title clubs in e-sports, with rosters competing at the highest level across several of the world’s biggest e-sports titles. Having already secured qualification in 17 tournaments, Vitality has the depth, consistency and competitive reach required to challenge for the club championship throughout the seven-week competition.
Having qualified in seven tournaments, Team Liquid represents another major contender. As one of the most established and recognizable organizations in e-sports, Liquid has built a reputation for sustained success across multiple games and regions. Its ability to compete across a broad portfolio of esports titles has made it a perennial threat in multi-title competitions and positions the organization among the leading challengers heading into Paris.
Alongside Vitality and Liquid, several other international clubs will be looking to break Saudi Arabia’s hold on the club championship. With more organizations investing across multiple e-sports titles than ever before, the race for points is becoming increasingly competitive and the margin between success and failure increasingly narrow.
Musaad Al-Dossary, co-founder and chairman of Team Falcons, said: “Winning the first two club championships in Saudi Arabia was an incredibly special moment for Team Falcons. To achieve that success in front of our home fans made it even more meaningful and is something we will always be proud of. As the Esports World Cup begins a new chapter in Paris, we’re excited to experience the event on a global stage and compete against the best clubs in the world once again.
“Every year the competition becomes stronger, but so does our ambition. We’re looking forward to the challenge ahead and to giving everything we have in pursuit of a third club championship title.”
For Saudi Arabia’s leading organizations, the move to Paris marks the beginning of a new chapter in the EWC story. The question is no longer whether Saudi clubs can compete with the world’s best. After two consecutive club championship victories, they have already proven that.
The question now is whether they can stay on top.
