The Saudi Esports Federation has signed two new partnerships with ROC Esports and Team Stallions, formalised through separate Memoranda of Understanding. The move is part of the federation’s wider plan to grow Saudi Arabia’s esports ecosystem and further position the Kingdom as a global hub under Vision 2030.

Announced on February 19, 2026, the agreements focus on talent development, structured training programmes, and long-term career pathways for Saudi esports professionals.

Agreements Focus On Talent Development And Academy Programmes

According to the official release, the MoUs aim to accelerate ecosystem development while strengthening national talent pathways. The Saudi Esports Federation, often abbreviated as SEF, will work alongside ROC Esports and Team Stallions to support Saudi professionals across the sector.

A central part of the collaboration involves the Saudi Esports Academy. Through the academy, employees and athletes will have access to specialised training programmes and joint initiatives designed to raise professional standards and improve competitive readiness.

The agreements also explore career pathways for academy graduates, signalling a more structured pipeline from grassroots development through to professional competition.

Rawan Al Butairi, CEO of the Saudi Esports Federation, said the partnerships align with the organisation’s long-term strategy.

“We are thrilled to partner with ROC Esports and Team Stallions, two clubs that contribute to the sustainable development of the Kingdom’s esports ecosystem and the advancement of national talent,” she said.

She added that the collaborations will help deliver structured programmes and strategic initiatives that strengthen the sector’s foundations and reinforce Saudi Arabia’s position as a leading global hub for esports in line with Vision 2030.

ROC Esports And Team Stallions Competitive Background

Both organisations bring competitive credibility to the table.

ROC Esports is a multi-title Saudi Arabian organisation founded in 2023. It is primarily known for its presence in Apex Legends, where it secured a second-place finish at the 2025 Esports World Cup Apex Legends tournament. That result contributed to a top 24 finish in the 2025 Esports World Cup Club Championship. Beyond Apex, the organisation has fielded rosters in CrossFire, Call of Duty Warzone, PUBG, Teamfight Tactics, and Overwatch 2.

Team Stallions has built its reputation largely within the CrossFire circuit. Its Philippines roster finished in the top four at the 2025 CrossFire Esports World Cup tournament and reached the finals at CrossFire Stars 2025, the game’s world championship. The organisation also operates a VALORANT roster, which recently placed second in the Saudi eLeague Championship behind Twisted Minds.

By partnering with organisations that are already competitive across multiple titles, the federation strengthens its ability to connect structured training with real tournament experience.

Part Of A Broader National Esports Strategy

Saudi Esports Federation has been active since late 2017 and acts as the Kingdom’s regulatory body for competitive gaming. Its activities are split into two complementary streams.

The first stream focuses on developing competitive gamers at every level, starting from grassroots communities and progressing towards elite professional athletes capable of achieving global results. The second stream looks at the broader gaming and esports value chain, catalysing industry growth and enabling talent across operational, managerial, and commercial roles.

The new agreements with ROC Esports and Team Stallions sit squarely within that framework. They are designed not just to support top-tier teams, but to build a more sustainable structure underneath them.

In recent years, the federation has organised major national and international tournaments, attracted private sector investment, and worked alongside international developers to expand opportunities within the Saudi market. These latest partnerships continue that trajectory, with a clear emphasis on structured development rather than one-off competitive wins.

As Saudi Arabia continues to invest heavily in gaming and esports, moves like this suggest the focus is shifting towards long-term talent pipelines and professionalisation, rather than simply hosting large-scale events. If the academy-driven model delivers, it could further solidify the Kingdom’s ambitions to remain at the centre of global esports conversations.

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Team Vitality has officially expanded its shooter division ahead of the 2026 Esports World Cup, confirming new competitive rosters in PUBG (PC), Call of Duty: Warzone and CrossFire.

Announced from Paris on 11 February 2026, the move sees the French organisation return to PUBG (PC) and Warzone after previous runs in both titles, while entering CrossFire for the first time. It follows a strong 2025 season that included Counter-Strike and VALORANT victories, plus a Top 3 finish in the overall club standings at last year’s Esports World Cup.

A Strategic Push Ahead Of The 2026 Esports World Cup

Team Vitality’s expansion into three additional shooter titles is directly tied to its ambitions for the 2026 Esports World Cup this summer.

With club standings determined by performance across multiple games, fielding teams in PUBG (PC), Warzone and CrossFire gives Vitality more opportunities to accumulate points where every win counts. The organisation has framed this as the beginning of a new shooter era, building on its established dominance in Counter-Strike and its continued presence in VALORANT.

Fabien “Neo” Devide, President and co-founder of Team Vitality, said the club is determined to build on its Top 3 overall finish in 2025 by investing in star-powered rosters across the new titles. Corporate Director of Global Operations Danny Engels added that the goal is to strengthen Vitality’s positioning for EWC and establish a broader dynasty across the FPS genre.

Call Of Duty: Warzone Roster And Road To EWC

Angel “Sage” Quinones, who secured third place at last year’s EWC, leads the roster. He is joined by Rasim “Blazt” Ogresevic and Logan “Skullface” Greifelt, both American players with strong competitive histories. The team is supported by coach Ethan “Ebatez” Bates.

The squad’s immediate focus is the Warzone Resurgence Series, which will determine qualification pathways to the 2026 Esports World Cup. The circuit culminates in two LAN finals at DreamHack Birmingham and DreamHack Atlanta, where top trios will lock in their EWC spots.

By returning with experienced players rather than rebuilding from scratch, Vitality is signalling that this is about immediate impact rather than a long-term development project.

PUBG (PC) Roster Marks Return To The Scene

The core of the lineup features players who competed under the Nemiga banner and secured sixth place at the PUBG Global Championship. The roster includes Aliaksandr “Gedrox” Puchko, Vladislav “Lev4nte” Tasenko and Artem “hallomybad” Baskakov.

Completing the squad are Andrey “Qw1zzy” Pobedinskiy and coach Ramazan “H1RUZEN” Valiullin, both arriving from Geekay. Sergei “MrTok” Britok joins as manager.

This return also creates crossover potential with Bigetron by Vitality, the organisation’s established powerhouse in the Southeast Asian PUBG Mobile ecosystem. With major LAN circuits increasingly featuring both PC and Mobile PUBG, the dual presence could help unify Vitality’s global fanbase across both platforms.

CrossFire Entry And Full Roster Details

CrossFire marks a completely new chapter for Team Vitality.

Ready to take on all FPS games at EWC.
Welcome to the Hive CrossFire 🐝

Horus
SNARE
slayer
Snake
tottziN pic.twitter.com/3k9ZivtoAP

— Team Vitality 🐝 (@TeamVitality) February 11, 2026

The organisation has acquired ROC Esports’ previous CrossFire team, which is based in Egypt and operates from a dedicated gaming house. The starting roster features Youssef “tottziN” Nasser, Ahmed “SNARE” Salah, Mohamed “Snake” Ahmed, Mohamed “Horus” Mahrous and Abdelrahman “slayer” Fawzy.

Andrei “strey” Solovev joins as coach, with Kislay “Drolo” Satyaj as General Manager. Two substitutes, Ammar “Apps” Ahmed and Abdelrhman “Bone” Mahmoud, have also been added to strengthen depth.

The team will compete in the CrossFire West League in EMEA across two key splits in March and April, followed by June and July. Combined results are expected to serve as a gateway to the 2026 Esports World Cup.

Beyond EWC qualification, the squad is targeting a run through Regional Finals to secure a place at the CrossFire Stars World Championship in China, widely regarded as the pinnacle of the CrossFire ecosystem. Vitality is positioning this roster as a potential Western dark horse capable of challenging the long-established Chinese powerhouses.

Momentum From 2025 Sets The Tone

Team Vitality’s 2025 campaign laid the groundwork for this expansion. Victories in Counter-Strike and VALORANT reinforced the organisation’s status as one of the strongest FPS brands in esports, while a Top 3 finish in the Esports World Cup club standings highlighted its ability to compete across multiple titles.

By adding PUBG (PC), Warzone and CrossFire to its portfolio, Vitality is broadening its competitive surface area rather than relying on a single flagship game. For fans, that means more tournaments, more storylines and more chances to see the black and yellow banner on major international stages.

With qualification circuits already underway and league splits approaching, the next few months will quickly reveal whether this expanded shooter division can convert ambition into silverware on the road to EWC 2026.

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The 2025 Esports World Cup has been full of big moments across different games, but one of the standout stories came from CROSSFIRE, which made its debut at the event in Riyadh. After five days of intense FPS action, China’s AG.AL rose above the rest to claim the very first CROSSFIRE trophy on the EWC stage, and their second overall title at this year’s tournament.

The one team that Rose Above the rest 🏆@AGGlobalEsports are your CROSSFIRE at EWC 25 Champions! pic.twitter.com/yPXWsStiBZ

— EWC Extra (@EWC_Extra) August 23, 2025

The favourites deliver

Coming into the competition, AG.AL were already tipped as favourites. They cruised through the group stage, sweeping Virtus.pro 2-0 before edging out Stallions 2-1 to lock in their playoff spot. Things got shaky in the quarterfinals against fellow Chinese side KINGZERO-eSports, who opened with a crushing 10-1 win. Just when it looked like AG.AL’s run might be cut short, Zhang “ZY” Ye rallied the team, flipping the script and sealing a 2-1 comeback with a 10-1 map of their own.

From there, momentum was firmly in their hands. AG.AL took down Evolution Power 2-0 in the semis, while Baisha Gaming knocked out the young Filipino squad Stallions, setting up a blockbuster all-Chinese grand final.

A historic rivalry on the world stage

Fans couldn’t have asked for a better final: AG.AL versus Baisha Gaming, two long-time rivals in the Chinese CROSSFIRE scene. Baisha struck first in dominant fashion with a 10-1 win, but AG.AL kept their cool. They hit back with back-to-back 10-4 victories to reach match point. Baisha clawed it back to force a decider, but AG.AL sealed the deal 10-3 on Port to lift the trophy.

What a dominant run through this tournament!

Congratulations @AGGlobalEsports on your CROSSFIRE at EWC 25 pic.twitter.com/czFkj0NWvm

— EWC Extra (@EWC_Extra) August 23, 2025

It was another reminder of just how deep CROSSFIRE talent runs in China, as all three podium spots ended up going to Chinese teams. Evolution Power fought off Stallions in a nail-biting third-place match, pulling off an overtime comeback in the opener before closing the series 2-0.

Doo takes MVP honours

AG.AL’s Meng “Doo” Kun was awarded the SONY MVP for his incredible consistency throughout the tournament. His clutch performances in the final, in particular, earned him the extra $10,000 prize and the MVP trophy.

Image Credit: Esports World Cup

CROSSFIRE makes its mark

This win also adds to AG.AL’s EWC legacy, after their earlier gold in KWC pushed them past Gen.G into sixth place in the overall Club Championship standings. Beyond the results, though, CROSSFIRE’s first appearance at the Esports World Cup felt significant.

Smilegate has been running CROSSFIRE Stars for over a decade, but bringing the game to the EWC spotlight underlined its status as a global esport. With fresh young teams like Stallions showing promise and Chinese squads proving their dominance, the tournament highlighted a generational shift and set the stage for an even bigger future.

There’s even talk that CROSSFIRE could feature in future multi-sport events like the Asian Games, especially given the game’s proven track record in both domestic and international circuits. And with the CFS Grand Final later this year, the EWC debut feels like the perfect lead-in to CROSSFIRE’s next big chapter.

Looking ahead

From a competitive point of view, CROSSFIRE’s debut at the Esports World Cup couldn’t have gone much better. AG.AL stamped their name in history as the first champions, Baisha and Evolution Power kept the Chinese rivalry alive, and Stallions showed the potential of a new generation coming through.

If this event is anything to go by, CROSSFIRE has found a new global stage, and it’s only just getting started.

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