Thunderpick World Championship teams, format, schedule, prizes, talent, fantasy

Eight teams will compete in Malta from October 14-18 for a $1 million prize pool. Falcons , FURIA , Legacy and Aurora headline the eight-team field at Thunderpick World Championship 2026, joined by BETBOOM , 9z , PARIVISION and Ninjas in Pyjamas . Ninjas in Pyjamas were brought in to replace Virtus.pro , whose withdrawal followed visa issues affecting Aleksandr "⁠AquaRS⁠" Kovalev and health problems that forced Dias "⁠F0R3VER⁠" Kutubay to temporarily step away from the lineup. Meanwhile, Legacy will welcome Andrei "⁠arT⁠" Piovezan back after the in-game leader missed ESL Pro League Season 24 while recovering from meningitis.