Five Must-Watch Players in Week 6 of EWC 26

Axel "Vatira" Touret, Karmine Corp - Esports World Cup 2026 Featuring Rocket League

Karmine Corp are one of the best Rocket League teams in the world, with Vatira serving as the roster’s longest-tenured star. Despite his time on the roster, Vatira remains the playmaker who pushes KC to compete at the highest level. During his time with the club, Vatira has overseen multiple Major wins and led Karmine Corp to the EWC 2025 title.

Now, Vatira has the chance to defend that crown on a home-town stage in Paris, France, with a fanatical KC crowd behind him. If he succeeds, Vatira and Karmine Corp will become the first team to win back-to-back Rocket League EWC titles.

Alireza Firouzja, Team Falcons - Chess at EWC 26

The term prodigy is common in chess, where young players regularly emerge as elite competitors. Alireza Firouzja, however, has earned the label in historic fashion. He became the youngest player ever to surpass a FIDE rating of 2,800, breaking the record previously held by none other than Magnus Carlsen.

Now representing Team Falcons at EWC 26, Firouzja enters the tournament as one of the biggest names in the field. The rapid format will demand both precision and speed, making his tactical creativity a potentially decisive weapon. After establishing himself as one of the strongest players of his generation, Firouzja will now look to turn that individual brilliance into EWC gold.

Thiago "Handyy" Ferreira, FaZe Clan - R6 Siege at EWC 26

Handyy is the flex player for FaZe Clan and, alongside his teammates, a back-to-back Six Invitational winner. Yet despite their dominance at the highest level of Rainbow Six Siege, FaZe has struggled at EWC, consistently finishing well outside the podium positions they regularly occupy at other major events.

EWC 26 offers Handyy and the Brazilian powerhouse a chance to finally translate that elite form into an EWC title. As a versatile player who can adapt to whatever the team needs, Handyy will be crucial when the pressure rises. If FaZe can finally break its EWC curse, Handyy could be at the center of a statement run.

Uuganbayar "DOK" Dulguun, Aurora Gaming - PUBG Mobile World Cup at EWC 26

DOK and the Mongolian squad Aurora Gaming have the potential to make a deep run at the PUBG Mobile World Cup at EWC 26. DOK has consistently been one of the team’s biggest fraggers over the past few years, earning FMVP honors at last year’s EWC along with other accolades while competing under Alpha Gaming.

As the rock and anchor of the lineup, DOK is often the player keeping Aurora alive when the pressure mounts. With a proven ability to deliver on the biggest stage, he will be the player to watch as Aurora Gaming looks to turn its potential into a championship run at EWC 26.

Danil "donk" Kryshkovets, Team Spirit - CS2 at EWC 26 Group Stage

Widely regarded as the best player in the world right now, donk enters EWC 26 with plenty to prove. Alongside the rest of Team Spirit, he has fallen short of the consistent success expected from one of Counter-Strike’s elite teams. A top-four finish at IEM Cologne Major 2026 and a second-place finish at BLAST Bounty Summer 2026 are respectable results. But for a player with future GOAT aspirations, anything short of gold can feel like a disappointment.

During EWC’s group stage, donk will need the kind of dominant performance he has become famous for to secure a top spot and silence the critics. If he can deliver, Team Spirit could emerge as one of the biggest threats to Team Falcons and disrupt the expected EWC podium.