S8UL Esports has qualified for the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 in Free Fire, adding a sixth title to its confirmed lineup for the event. The organisation said its Free Fire MAX roster secured the berth after finishing second at the Free Fire MAX India Cup (FFMIC) 2026 Spring.
S8UL’s recently acquired roster—Naitik Sharma (Troll), Prince Saini (Prinxz), Jay Verma (Bunny), Harshit Nain (Jack07), and Abhishek Gupta (Stiven)—earned one of three invitations allocated to Indian representatives at EWC 2026. Free Fire at EWC 2026 is scheduled for July 15 to 18 in Paris, France, featuring 24 teams and a USD 1 million prize pool (approximately INR 9.4 crore), according to the company.
FFMIC 2026 Spring ran a multi-stage format from City Qualifiers and In-Game Qualifiers through to Group Stage, Knockout Stage, Point Rush and Champion Rush. S8UL said the roster posted 186 points in Knockout Stage Week 1 to place sixth, then carried momentum into the final phase. In Champion Rush, the team entered with three Headstart Points from Point Rush and finished second overall after scoring 131 points and two Booyahs across eight matches. The result also delivered INR 17 lakh in prize money, S8UL said.
Prince Saini aka Prinxz, captain of S8UL’s Free Fire Max roster said, “What makes this team special is the chemistry we’ve developed over time. We have a shared understanding of how we want to approach the game, and that allows us to stay composed and adapt quickly in different situations. Qualifying for the Esports World Cup is an important milestone for us, and doing so as part of S8UL makes the opportunity even more exciting. We are looking forward to representing the organization on the global stage and showing what this roster can achieve against some of the best teams in the world.”
S8UL Co-founder and CEO Animesh Agarwal aka 8Bit Thug linked the qualification to the wider Indian mobile esports ecosystem, saying, “Free Fire MAX has been one of the driving forces behind the growth of mobile esports in India, helping create a highly competitive ecosystem and a pipeline of talented players. When those players get the opportunity to compete at an event like the Esports World Cup, it is not just a milestone for the team but also a reflection of how far the Indian scene has come. Facing the world’s best teams provides invaluable experience and helps raise the overall standard of competition back home. At S8UL, we remain committed to identifying and supporting Indian talent, and we are proud to see our Free Fire MAX roster earn the chance to represent both the organization and the country on one of esports’ biggest stages,”. The organisation added it is also confirmed for EWC 2026 in Apex Legends, Chess, Fortnite, Honor of Kings and Trackmania, and remains in contention in EA SPORTS FC, Fatal Fury, Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8. EWC 2026 runs July 6 to August 23 with a stated total prize pool of USD 75 million (~INR 714 crore).
