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FURIA and Falcons are set to headline the upcoming Thunderpick World Championship 2026 in Malta, joining six other confirmed teams in the competition. The lineup also includes Legacy, Aurora, 9z, BETBOOM, PARIVISION, and Virtus.pro.
This highly anticipated event will feature four top-10 teams, as announced by the organizers. FURIA comes in as the reigning champions, while Falcons stand out as one of the two top-five teams expected to participate.
Eight Teams, One Malta Studio
According to a report by HLTV.org, the tournament is scheduled to take place from October 14-18 at the BLAST Arena studio in Malta, offering a substantial prize pool of $1 million.
This championship holds particular significance as it falls just before the November 2 deadline for Singapore Major invitations. Teams participating in the event will have one of the final chances to earn valuable Valve Ranking System points before this crucial cutoff date.
The Confirmed Field
The eight teams officially confirmed for the tournament are:
- FURIA: the defending champions and one of the top-five teams in attendance.
- Falcons: the other top-five team on the roster.
- Legacy: reigning champions of FISSURE Playground 3.
- Aurora: recognized as one of the top-10 teams participating.
- 9z: representing South America in the competition.
- BETBOOM: among the invited teams.
- PARIVISION: also part of the invited lineup.
- Virtus.pro: secured their spot through the closed qualifier.
Reports from Sport.ua and HLTV.org indicate that NAVI, G2, Spirit, MOUZ, and Vitality will not be participating in the tournament. This leaves FURIA and Falcons as the sole top-five representatives, with Aurora and Legacy rounding out the top-10 presence.
Why It Matters Beyond the Bracket
The Thunderpick World Championship offers more than just a lucrative prize pool. With the opportunity to earn Valve Ranking System points before the Singapore Major invitations are finalized, the event serves as a crucial platform for the eight teams involved to enhance their rankings.
The competition will kick off with two double-elimination groups, leading to a single-elimination playoff stage. Each match will be contested in a best-of-three format, except for the final which will be a best-of-five, ensuring a challenging path for all teams throughout the tournament in Malta.
For FURIA, Falcons, and the rest of the confirmed field, this October event represents a blend of significant prize money and strategic positioning on the CS2 calendar as they aim to make their mark before the Singapore Major invitations are decided.