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"We definitely have the players to do some greatness" - Fnatic Boaster on his goal for Kickoff and the rest of the year
Fnatic found themselves in a repeated matchup against another Turkish roster following their loss in Week 1 to BBL. Faced against FUT, it was imperative for Fnatic to begin winning if they wished to keep their dreams of Santiago qualification alive – and win they did. What began as a one-sided affair for Fnatic quickly shifted as FUT rallied back to force the series to go the full distance. While Fnatic eventually emerged as the victor, it was far from a clean win. Following the conclusion of their series, Strafe Esports sat down with Fnatic IGL and captain Jake “Boaster” Howlett to reflect on the close nature of the series, Fnatic’s run at Kickoff thus far, the challenges of the off-season, expectations carried by the roster, and so much more in this exclusive interview.
Esports World Cup Foundation Unveils 'Road to EWC' Program
The Esports World Cup Federation (EWCF) has launched the Road to EWC, a global qualifying circuit featuring connecting publisher leagues, international events, and grassroots qualifiers into one cohesive season-long journey to Riyadh.
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VALORANT EMEA Clash 2026: All You Need To Know
Riot Games has announced the inaugural VALORANT EMEA Clash, scheduled for February 16-25. The event will field 12 teams - six from VCT EMEA and six from EMEA Challenger circuits - competing in parallel double-elimination brackets.
PatMen Sets VCT Record for Highest ACS on a Single Map
Earlier today, February 1st, Patrick "PatMen" Mendoza set a VCT record for the highest ACS on a single map. Playing against Detonation FocusMe, the former Paper Rex and current Global Esports player put up a statistical masterpiece that helped his team dominate the first map. PatMen’s Statistical Masterpiece: 516 ACS // 6.4 K/D // 100% KAST Facing each other in the 2026 VCT Pacific Kickoff middle bracket, Global Esports faced Detonation FocusMe. But what happened on Breeze wasn’t foreseen bymore
"This is the year I should not qualify. And that's exactly why I want to prove the opposite" - Team Liquid nAts after first win at VCT EMEA Kickoff
Team Liquid’s battle against Karmine Corp was a show of determination and grit. After a close series loss the previous week to Team Vitality, Liquid found themselves now in the Middle Bracket of VCT EMEA Kickoff with two lives left to battle to Santiago. Backs against the wall after a dismal Map 1 performance, Liquid turned their fortunes around to complete the reverse sweep, propelling themselves with their first official win of the season. Following the conclusion of their series, Strafe Esports sat down with Team Liquid IGL and captain Ayaz “nAts” Akhmetshin to reflect on the series as a whole, the challenges of heading into a new season with a substitute for Week 1, his evolution as a leader for the team, and so much more in this exclusive interview.
Esports Nations Cup 2026 Unveils $45 Million Prize & Development Fund
The inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC) is scheduled to commence in November 2026, backed by a $45 million commitment from the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) in the form of prize money, incentives, and development funds.
"For us, it’s just like we’re not a superteam from the start" - VIT Derke after a close series against Liquid
Team Vitality’s clash against Team Liquid in the Upper Bracket of VCT EMEA Kickoff proved to be the first real test for the squad, going the full distance in an all-out brawl between the two teams. Vitality eventually emerged as the victor, placing them two series wins away from qualifying for Masters Santiago. Following their series win, Strafe Esports sat down with Team Vitality’s Nikita “Derke” Sirmitev, who spoke on the series as a whole, the team’s preparation coming into Kickoff, his thoughts on the new crop of teams taking over the EMEA stage and more in this exclusive interview.
Valve’s $900 Million Headache: Does the UK Lawsuit Actually Hold Merit?
In a significant legal blow to the operator of the world’s largest PC gaming platform, a UK court has ruled that a £656 million (approx. $900 million) class-action lawsuit against Valve Corporation can proceed to trial. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of 14 million UK Steam users, alleges that Valve has abused its dominant market position to overcharge gamers.
TenZ VALORANT Community Awards 2025: All Finalists Announced
Tyson "TenZ" Ngo has officially unveiled the finalists for his VALORANT Community Awards, and the list features some of the biggest names from both the VCT and Game Changers circuits. Players and coaches from across the competitive scene voted to determine who'd earn a spot in the final running, and now it's down to the wire before the live ceremony hits on February 4th. This isn't your typical esports awards show. The whole thing came together through a partnership betweenmore
“I’ve experimented the most I’ve ever experimented this off-season” - NAVI hiro on His Explosive Start to 2026 EMEA Kickoff
NAVI are storming into the lead at VCT EMEA Kickoff after taking down yet another name on their path to Masters Santiago qualification. With this win against Team Heretics, the team is 2 wins away from a spot at the first international event of the year. Following their victory, Strafe Esports sat down with Natus Vincere (NAVI) player Emirhan “hiro” Kat to speak on the team’s success thus far at Kickoff, his personal preparation in the off-season, the team’s goals for the season, and so much more in this exclusive interview.
“I believe in us so much that I have no doubts that we’ll learn from this” – Team Heretics Benjyfishy on Debut Loss Against NAVI at Kickoff
Team Heretics have arrived in 2026 with their debut match against Natus Vincere (NAVI) in VCT EMEA Kickoff, but perhaps not with the landing they were hoping for. Following the conclusion of their series, Strafe Esports sat down with Team Heretics player Benjy “benjyfishy” Fish to reflect on the team’s performance during the series, goals for 2026 following a quieter 2025, his thoughts on the game changes during the off-season, and so much more in this exclusive interview.
Esports World Cup 2026 Tickets: Prices, Sales Dates, and How to Purchase
The first wave of Esports World Cup 2026 tickets is now live on the EWC website, and fans have the option to choose from Weekly All Access Passes, Premium Tournament Passes, and an exclusive Esports Embassy Experience.
VCT EMEA 2026 Kickoff: All You Need To Know
The road to Masters Santiago begins with a single step – Kickoff. The VCT EMEA Kickoff for 2026 is set to begin on the 20th of January with 12 teams taking to the stage, competing and qualifying for 3 slots to the first VALORANT Masters event of the new year. Kings of old? Established order? 2026 upturns all of that with new challengers vying for control in this latest season of VCT EMEA.
"Everything Just Went Wrong" - Karmine Corp Head Coach Engh on Disappointing Start to Kickoff
Karmine Corp’s opening debut with their new roster in the VCT EMEA 2026 Kickoff tournament did not deliver quite the brilliant opener they were hoping for. However, despite NAVI’s brilliant start to both maps, Karmine Corp managed to mount late game comebacks both times, resulting in an end result that was far from satisfactory, but not fully disappointing. Following the conclusion to the series, Strafe Esports sat down with Karmine Corp’s Head Coach Andrey “Engh” Sholokhov to speak on the team’s performance during the match, their preparation coming into their first match of 2026, his thoughts on the game’s changes since last season, and so much more in this exclusive interview.
Is an EWC CS Major on the Horizon? EWC Media Rumble Takeaways 2026
Strafe Esports was recently invited to attend a media event organized by the EWC (Esports World Cup). In it, an open discussion was held around EWC 2026 and beyond, answering some of the bigger questions surrounding one of the world’s biggest emerging esports tournament organizers.