MANILA, Philippines — Team Stallions once again proved that Filipino CrossFire can compete on the world stage, but the Philippine squad narrowly missed the podium after finishing fourth in the CrossFire event of the Esports World Cup 2026 (EWC 2026) in Paris.
The all-Filipino roster’s campaign ended with a 0-3 loss to KINGZONE-eSports in the third-place match, leaving Stallions just one series away from a medal.
Despite the disappointing finish, the result continues a remarkable run for the Philippine team, which has established itself as one of the country’s strongest CrossFire squads internationally.
A brutal finish after a deep EWC run
Team Stallions entered the final day with a chance to secure bronze, but KINGZONE-eSports proved too strong in the decisive matchup, sweeping the Filipino side 3-0.
According to the official EWC recap, KINGZONE had already shown its strength throughout the tournament and had previously pushed eventual champion BaiSha Gaming. The Chinese squad ultimately secured third place, while Stallions settled for fourth.
The result was particularly painful because Stallions had reached the final four of a $2-million CrossFire tournament, competing against some of the world’s best teams. The EWC 2026 CrossFire competition ran from August 18 to 22 in Paris.
Exhaustion may have played a role
International reports noted that Stallions appeared to struggle after a grueling semifinal against Team Liquid that went the distance.
The Filipino team had battled through a five-set series against Liquid, with the match reportedly extending into overtime. The physical and mental toll appeared to carry into the third-place contest, where Stallions could not reproduce the form that had taken them deep into the tournament.
That fatigue factor is significant in a tournament where every mistake can quickly turn into a lost map.
KINGZONE controls the bronze-medal match
KINGZONE-eSports took control of the third-place series and completed a 3-0 sweep over Team Stallions.
The series ended with map scores of 10-4, 10-8 and 10-5, according to Gamemeca’s tournament report.
For KINGZONE, the victory capped an impressive international showing. For Stallions, it meant another fourth-place finish at the EWC — a result that highlights both the team’s consistency and the increasingly difficult gap separating the world’s top CrossFire contenders.
BaiSha Gaming takes the crown
At the top of the tournament, BaiSha Gaming delivered a dominant performance to capture the EWC 2026 CrossFire championship.
BaiSha swept Team Liquid 3-0 in the grand final, winning the three maps 10-1, 10-4 and 10-4. The victory earned BaiSha $750,000 in prize money and 1,000 Club Championship points.
BaiSha’s Wang “N9” Hao was also named tournament MVP and received an additional $25,000.
The championship also gave the Chinese region an additional slot for the CFS 2026 Grand Final, adding another layer of significance to BaiSha’s victory.
Another milestone for Philippine esports
For Team Stallions, fourth place may not have been the result the players wanted, but it reinforces the Philippines’ growing reputation in international CrossFire.
The team’s rise has been particularly notable since the roster formerly competed under the UBECmaniacGT banner before being acquired by Team Stallions ahead of its EWC campaign. The squad went on to make history in CrossFire Stars 2025, finishing runner-up — the highest-ever placement by a Philippine team in that tournament at the time.
The team’s strong domestic and regional form continued into 2026. In May, Team Stallions completed an unbeaten run to win the Spring 2026 CrossFire Stars SEA Masters, sweeping Virtus.pro 3-0 in the grand final after going 9-0 in the group stage.
That consistency makes the latest EWC result more than just another fourth-place finish.
It is evidence that Filipino CrossFire has become a genuine international threat — even if the elusive podium finish remains just out of reach.
The bigger question: What’s next for Stallions?
The immediate disappointment of missing the EWC podium will likely fuel Team Stallions’ next international campaign.
The team has already demonstrated that it can defeat elite opposition, reach the latter stages of major tournaments and challenge established CrossFire powers. The next step is converting those deep runs into championships.
For now, Team Stallions leaves EWC 2026 with another top-four international finish, another valuable experience against the world’s best and a clear reminder that the Philippines belongs in the global CrossFire conversation.
The medal may have slipped away in Paris — but Team Stallions’ international journey is far from over.
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