India’s leading esports organization, S8UL, has officially qualified for the grand finals of Apex Legends, EAFC 25, and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) at the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025, set to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. With a record-breaking $70 million prize pool, EWC 2025 is the world’s most lucrative and ambitious esports event, drawing global participation across a wide range of competitive titles.
This milestone adds to S8UL’s historic run — not just as the only Indian organization to qualify for the EWC Club Program, but also as the first to compete across 13 top-tier titles globally.
Apex Legends, EAFC 25, MLBB: India Takes the Global Stage
Apex Legends:
S8UL’s all-Australian Apex Legends squad — Rick Wirth (Sharky), Benjamin Spaseski (Jesko), and Tom Canty (Legacy) — earned their place in the EWC by finishing top five in the ALGS 2025 Split 1 Pro League (APAC South) with 109 points. The trio now advances to the ALGS Midseason Playoffs at EWC from July 10–13, where they’ll face off against 39 of the world’s best teams for a share of a $2 million prize pool. Team captain Sharky, an ALGS 2022 Champion, leads a squad with deep international experience, including at the inaugural EWC 2024.
EAFC 25:
S8UL will also represent India through Jonas Wirth (Jonny), who qualified for the FC Pro 25 World Championship after a strong finish in the Virtual Bundesliga 2024–25, reaching the semifinals. With titles in both the VBL and eChampions League under his belt, Jonny is considered a serious contender when the championship runs from August 7–10, offering a $1.5 million prize pool.
Aaron Rivera (Happy), another EAFC 25 star from S8UL, has qualified for the Play-Ins after winning three FC Pro 25 Open Cups in the LATAM North region. He will battle it out for one of four remaining championship slots.
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB):
S8UL’s MLBB roster earned their spot in the Mid Season Cup (MSC) 2025 by dominating the NACT Spring Season, defeating Area 77 with a 4–2 score in the grand finals. Their squad — MobaZane, FwydChickn, Hoon, ZIA, Shark, and Bestplayer1 — brings international and championship pedigree to the 16-team double-elimination format. With a $3 million prize pool, MSC 2025 is poised to be one of the biggest mobile esports tournaments ever.
More to Come: S8UL Eyes Additional Titles
While the Call of Duty: Warzone team narrowly missed qualification, other S8UL athletes are still in the hunt. Nihal Sarin and Aravindh Chithambaram will compete in the Chess Last Chance Qualifier (July 24–26), while GuMiho will represent in StarCraft II’s Global Qualifier (June 21–22).
Fighting game specialists Yurikov (Fatal Fury) and Sephiblack & Nino (Tekken 8) will also vie for their EWC spots in upcoming regional qualifiers.
S8UL continues to raise the bar for Indian esports. With global representation across titles, consistent international performances, and a place in the world’s biggest esports event, the organization’s vision to put Indian esports on the global map is well underway.