Road to EWC: March 2026
Apr 03, 2026.
March pushed the Road to EWC forward, delivering decisive results across multiple esports titles and confirming key qualifiers for the season ahead. Nongshim RedForce dominated VCT Masters Santiago in VALORANT, T1’s Tseng “ZJZ” Chia-chen and Tsunehiro “Gachikun” Kanamori claimed top honors in FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves and Street Fighter 6 at DreamHack Birmingham, and Trackmania and Call of Duty: Warzone qualifiers gave clubs and players a place to Riyadh.
VALORANT: VCT Masters Santiago
At VCT Masters Santiago in Chile, Nongshim RedForce swept Paper Rex 3-0 in the Grand Final at Espacio Riesco, earning $350,000 and 6 VCT Points. The 12-team event brought together top squads from the Americas, EMEA, China, and Pacific regions, with Nongshim RedForce entering the playoffs directly after winning the Pacific Kickoff.
Once in the playoffs, Nongshim RedForce showcased dominance at every stage. They defeated Gentle Mates 2-0, edged G2 Esports 2-1, and beat NRG 2-0 in the Upper Bracket Final before capping their run with a 3-0 Grand Final sweep. Paper Rex, NRG, and G2 leave Santiago with valuable points and momentum as the field prepares for VCT Masters London and the 2026 Esports World Cup.
Road to EWC: Qualifiers
Top Trackmania drivers descended on Birmingham to secure a berth at EWC 2026. Influential Clubs including Team Vitality, Team Falcons, and Team Liquid were represented. Thomas “Pac” Cole of Team Vitality secured one of nine Riyadh spots, with Carl-Antoni “Carl Jr.” Cloutier of Team Falcons finishing second. Other qualifiers included Twisted Minds, Gen.G, and Team Liquid.
Team Falcons captured first place in the COD: Warzone Resurgence Series, edging Twisted Minds by two points. Team Falcons, Virtus.pro, Los Corrillos, and Ravens Esports secured qualification for Riyadh, while Twisted Minds remained qualified from EWC 2025.
Notable Roster Changes
Weibo Gaming unveiled a new 2026 VALORANT roster with former Paper Rex star Aaron “mindfreak” Leonhart and coach Ji “meow” Dong‑jun, adding leadership and experience to their China‑based lineup. In Overwatch, Crazy Raccoon finalized its 2026 OWCS roster, bringing in Kim “vigilante” Joon and Jeong “Stalk3r” Hak‑yong to mix with returning talent.
Spacestation Gaming announced a revamped R6 roster, adding experienced players from top NA teams. Across Siege, other Clubs including Team Falcons and FURIA made March roster moves. Gen.G, Spacestation Gaming, FUT Esports, and other Clubs made roster moves during the RLCS mid‑season transfer window, reshaping lineups ahead of Split 2 of 2026.
March demonstrated that the Road to EWC 2026 is now live, competitive, and global. From VALORANT’s international showcase in Santiago to the multi-title action in Birmingham, Clubs and players have proven that every match counts, and the stage is set for intense competition leading into Riyadh.
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