ALGS at EWC 26 Survival Guide

The reigning ALGS champions

Sentinels made one of the biggest roster moves of the ALGS offseason by signing reigning world champions Oblivion after the team's historic victory at the ALGS Year 5 Championship. The roster of Miguel "Blinkzr" Quiles, Brandon "FunFPS" Groombridge and Bowen "Monsoon" Fuller became the first Last Chance Qualifier team in ALGS history to win the world championship, with Blinkzr earning tournament MVP honors.

While the trio enters Paris wearing a new jersey, expectations remain unchanged. Sentinels qualified for the Split 1 Playoffs after placing seventh in the Americas Pro League, a respectable result but one that fell short of the dominance they displayed in Sapporo. If Blinkzr can once again produce the clutch performances that made him a world champion, Sentinels has every opportunity to contend for another international title.

From Riyadh to Paris

VK Gaming returns to the Esports World Cup as the defending champion after claiming the EWC 2025 title in one of the organization's biggest international victories. That championship established the roster as a premier LAN team, capable of thriving under the pressure of Match Point competition and delivering when the stakes are highest.

While VK Gaming enters Paris after a third-place finish in the ALGS Split 1 APAC South Pro League, few teams have a stronger pedigree on the international stage. The squad has already proven it can beat the world's best in this format, making it a dangerous contender regardless of regional results. Another deep run would reinforce VK Gaming's reputation as one of Apex's true big-game teams and put it in contention to defend its Esports World Cup crown later this summer.

Rolling out of bed and into battle

Ninjas in Pyjamas.eStar enter the ALGS Split 1 Playoffs as one of the favorites after putting together the strongest regular season in the Americas. The roster of Cole "Cole" Wilson, Ethan "Vein" Kalb and "Kurev" claimed first place in the region, consistently converting strong positioning and disciplined team fighting into top finishes. After proving themselves against North America's deepest field, the next challenge is showing that success translates on the international stage.

The team's consistency has made it one of the hardest squads to eliminate throughout the season, but LANs are rarely won on consistency alone. With every major contender in Paris capable of explosive Match Point runs, Ninjas in Pyjamas will need to balance its methodical style with the aggression required to close out games. If it can do that, the organization has a chance to capture its first ALGS international championship.

Far from the nest

Few teams command as much attention as Team Falcons. The star-studded lineup of Phillip "ImperialHal" Dosen, Zachary "Gild" Dennis, and Ben "Wxltzy" Walton enters every tournament with championship expectations, and those expectations only grew after Falcons reached the ALGS Championship final earlier this year. While the club settled for fourth in the Americas Pro League, its ceiling remains as high as any roster in the field.

Falcons have built a reputation for thriving under pressure, thanks in large part to ImperialHal's leadership and the firepower surrounding him. The Split 1 Playoffs offer another opportunity to turn regional success into an international title, and with one of the most experienced trios in Apex Legends, few teams will relish seeing Falcons still alive once the tournament reaches Match Point.

Club Championship

ALGS at EWC 26 is one of the first opportunities for clubs to earn points in the race for the Club Championship. With the tournament just getting underway, every club begins on equal footing, and the standings are set to take shape over the course of the tournament.