Road to EWC: December 2025

The final month of 2025 competition

December highlighted both championship finishes and the evolving competitive landscape as the Esports World Cup lineup neared completion. Heavyweight teams from EWC 25 returned to action across Counter-Strike 2, Rocket League, and PUBG Mobile.

In Counter-Strike 2, the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 concluded on December 14, with Team Vitality defeating FaZe Clan 3-1 in the Grand Final. The victory carried added significance, as Vitality’s late-season form followed a setback earlier in the year, when the team fell to The MongolZ at Esports World Cup 2025. Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut earned his third Major MVP award, further cementing his status as one of the defining players of the CS2 era and closing the year with another major achievement.

Alexis "zen" Bernier, who placed fourth while playing with Team Vitality during Esports World Cup 2025 featuring Rocket League, took the reigns for team France in the FIFAe Finals 25 in Riyadh, winning the major tournament.

In the battle royale space, the PUBG Mobile Global Championship 2025 wrapped up in December. Alpha7 Esports, the Brazilian team that fell disastrously short of the podium during the PUBG Mobile World Cup 2025, secured the title after finishing on top of a 39-team international field.

Adjustments before the road continues

Clubs make adjustments to their rosters throughout the competitive calendar, shaping players and teams for upcoming tournaments. EWC hopeful clubs have until April 30, 2026, to confirm their rosters ahead of the summer season. We will track notable developments and share them here.

One of the most notable roster developments came in early November, when Team Liquid announced its return to Apex Legends competition by signing the former ZZ roster to compete in the Apex Legends Global Series (ALGS). The new Team Liquid lineup includes Rhys “Zer0” Perry, Nochilas “Sikezz” Odom, and Nicholas “Fuhhnq” Wall, with Winnie “tiltedwinnie” Long joining as coach.

Tactical shooters also saw notable moves in December. In Counter-Strike 2, Team Spirit reshuffled its roster after the StarLadder Budapest Major, moving long-time in-game leader Leonid “chopper” Vishnyakov and rifler Ivan “Zweih” Gogin to the bench as part of early preparations for the 2026 season.

In Valorant, Team Liquid locked in its 2026 roster by adding Dominykas “MiniBoo” Lukaševičius, Semyon “purp0” Borchev, and Wayne “wayne” Chang alongside returning members Ayaz “nAts” Akhmetshin and Kamil “kamo” Frąckowiak, setting its competitive core for the upcoming circuit. Paper Rex announced the departure of Patrick “PatMen” Mendoza and brought in Adrian “invy” Jiggs Reyes.

Road to EWC

Competition remained intense through the final weeks of 2025, with Counter-Strike majors, mobile esports, and national team championships all in play. December also marked the close of the year’s competitive cycle. Champions were crowned, roster moves were finalized, and the EWC 26 lineup neared completion, setting the stage for 2026.