RvPLegend Strikes From 30th Spot to Claim the EA FC Pro World Championship at Esports World Cup 2026

PARIS, France (July 26, 2026) – Razvan "RvPLegend" Puiu has claimed the FC Pro World Championship at Esports World Cup 2026 (EWC) after a 6-5 victory against Levy "levyfinn" Rieck in the grand final. RvPLegend took an early lead and never let go of his grip on the Diogo Jota FC Pro World Championship trophy, claiming his share of the $1,000,000 prize pool, and the honor of becoming the FC Pro 2026 World Champion.

RvPLegend, ranked 30th overall heading into the tournament, qualified for the World Championship by finishing second in the Europe East FC Pro 26 Open Cup to make it to the Play-Ins stage. Both finalists were placed in the same Play-Ins group, with levyfinn taking the second spot while RvPLegend came in fourth, meaning RvPLegend had to win three straight in the Play-ins playoffs just to reach the World Championship main event.

Once in the main event, RvPLegend’s path did not get easier, but he secured a spot in the first round of the knockout stage after drawing against the legendary Nicolas "nicolas99fc" Villalba and notching major wins against Gustavo "GugaFerraz" Ferraz, Ander "Neat" Tobal, and a player that knows all about taking the hardest path, EWC 2024 champion João "jafonsogv" Vasconcelos.

RvPLegend looked confident in the first two rounds of playoffs, comfortably making it past heavy hitters Umut "Umut" Gültekin and GugaFerrez again. But against 17-year-old prodigy Alihan "Alihan" Hadzhi, RvPLegend needed every bit of skill and every ounce of luck to make it through, winning in penalties after a 5-5 draw at the end of extra time. Waiting for him in the semifinals though was Nassim "Nassada" Dahman, fresh off a seismic 11-5 victory over world number one Anders "Vejrgang" Vejrgang. But RvPLegend was victorious in a 10-8 shootout, securing a dream Grand Final against levyfinn.

In the Grand Final, RvPLegend opened the scoresheet in the first few minutes after levyfinn conceded a penalty, and after that the goals started pouring in, with RvPLegend leading 4-2 at the half. While levyfinn was the favorite on paper, he looked constantly on the backfoot, and couldn't close the gap, as RvPLegend continued the momentum he gained early in the tournament. After the half, RvPLegend extended his lead by two goals, but levyfinn was able to rally and, by the dying minutes of the game, had reduced the deficit to just one goal with seconds left to play. Despite that comeback, RvPLegend managed to hold on to secure the win by just a single goal, etching his name into the history books.

“I’m a world champion. I cannot describe the feeling; I’m just crying, I cannot speak,” said Razvan "RvPLegend" Puiu following the grand final. “I will just still try to play my game and just try to be the best version of me I can. Don't be afraid, first of all. Follow your dreams. One day they will come true.”

In the third place game, Matías "Bonanno" Bonanno and Nassada clashed over who would take the final spot on the podium. A close game saw both players trading goals, leading to a 4-4 finish in regular play. The goals continued to sail in, but extra time finished up at 6-6, leading to a dramatic finish on penalties. Both players missed their first goals, but it was Bonanno who held onto his composure and buried three goals to Nassada's one, earning the $75,000 prize for finishing third.

Before the grand final took place, Karim Benzema, one of France’s greatest footballers and Ballon D’Or winner, and Amine, one of the country’s most influential digital creators, took to the main stage in the stc Arena to show off their own virtual football skills in an EA FC showmatch featuring creators Bruce and Brak. The French stars put on an impressive showing and thoroughly entertained the live audience in Paris, warming them up for what turned out to be an electric Grand Final.

To learn more about the Esports World Cup, visit esportsworldcup.com and follow the Esports Foundation on LinkedIn.

About The Esports World Cup

The Esports World Cup (EWC) is a premier annual sporting event and global celebration of competitive excellence and esports fandom. The competition features a unique cross-game format that pits the world's top esports Clubs against one another for the largest prize pool in esports history. Hosted in Paris, France, in the summer of 2026, the EWC will bring gaming and esports communities together again to crown the next Esports World Cup Club Champion. esportsworldcup.com

Esports World Cup media contact:
press@esportsfoundation.com