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S8UL has officially welcomed Indian Chess Grandmaster Pranesh M to its roster, enhancing its lineup for the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026. This announcement highlights the organization's commitment to showcasing both international talent and strong Indian representation across various gaming titles.

Chess Returns to EWC

After making its debut last year, Chess is set to return to the prestigious EWC, where elite players will vie for a substantial prize pool of $1.5 million (approximately ₹14 crore) from August 11 to 15. The defending champion is automatically qualified, along with two players from the Speed Chess Championship 2025 and one from the Chess.com Open 2026, securing four spots already. Additionally, nine players will qualify based on their standings in the Champions Chess Tour, where S8UL's Nihal Sarin ranks seventh and Pranesh M is in fifteenth place, making them the top two Indian contenders. Other qualification opportunities include the DreamHack Atlanta event from May 15 to 17, which offers four spots, and the Last Chance Qualifiers that will award the final four positions.

S8UL's Diverse Roster for EWC 2026

S8UL will compete in various categories, including mobile, PC, console, fighting games, racing, battle royale, and strategy titles. The organization aims to make a significant impact at EWC 2026, scheduled to take place in Riyadh from July 6 to August 23, where over 2,000 players from 200 clubs across more than 100 countries will compete for a record-breaking prize pool of $75 million (around ₹711 crore).

Detailed Roster for EWC 2026

S8UL's rosters for EWC 2026 include:

• Apex Legends: Rick Wirth (Sharky), Benjamin Spaseski (Jesko), Tom Canty (Legacy)


• Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI): Aaryaman Seth (Thunder), Harsh Paudwal (Goblin), Khush Singh (Jokerr), Nakul Sharma (NakuL), Yash Choudhary (LEGIT)


• Call of Duty (COD): Warzone: Aidan Provenzano (Knight), Chris Paez (Clumziy), Raul Mercado III (Rxul)


• Chess: Aravindh Chithambaram, Nihal Sarin, Pranesh M


• EA Sports FC: Aditya Chadha (Krusher), Jonas Wirth (Jonny), Julien Perbal (Fouma)


• Fatal Fury and Street Fighter 6: Ansh Arora (Closing Regent), Prateek Bhaunt (B Haunt), Prince (Prince)


• Fortnite: David Ciubotariu (Faded), Kaan Tafli (Kaan)


• Honor of Kings: Darkness, Meruem, Xtreme, XesoL, Kyurem, Kael, Doffy, Kong


• MOBA Legends 5v5: Bikash Tamang (Bobe), Chirag Singh (Radium), Debasish Sana (Anti), Jay Mehta (J), Mohammad Saad (Apex), Muhammad Syahroni (Ronn)


• TEKKEN 8: Akhil Kakar (Tetsu), Gurashish Singh (Soul), Mohammad Sameer (AK Arhaan), Nakul Sharma (Weak Akuma)


• Trackmania: Alexander Page (Whizzy), Kunal Upreti (Spark), Neal Kamdar (Neal)

Focus on Talent Development

This year, S8UL has expanded its roster by adding new players in Chess, COD: Warzone, EA Sports FC, Fatal Fury, Fortnite, Honor of Kings, Street Fighter 6, TEKKEN 8, and Trackmania. The organization will maintain its established teams in Apex Legends, BGMI, and MOBA Legends 5v5.

A standout feature of this year's campaign is S8UL's innovative Talent Hunt Program for fighting games, which has successfully identified six Indian athletes for Fatal Fury, Street Fighter 6, and TEKKEN 8. These selected players will benefit from professional coaching, fully funded tournament participation, travel support, a monthly stipend, and integration into S8UL's broader content ecosystem, paving the way for the development of Indian fighting game talent on the international stage.

S8UL's Vision for Global Esports

Naman Mathur, Co-founder of S8UL, expressed his enthusiasm about the announcement, stating, "The Esports World Cup represents the pinnacle of competitive gaming, showcasing a diverse range of titles and top-tier teams. At S8UL, we view esports as a global endeavor, which is why our rosters blend international stars with exceptional Indian talent. Competing at this level demands careful planning, the right team, and a supportive culture for players to excel. We have diligently worked to create such an environment, and I am proud of the teams we are sending to this year's EWC. Our aim is to make our community proud and demonstrate that an Indian organization can compete among the elite in global esports."

With a strong global presence, returning champions, and elite new additions, S8UL is poised to elevate India's status on the world esports stage while competing against the best.