The groups and opening matchups for the Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 tournament at the 2026 Esports World Cup have been announced ahead of the competition’s August 5 start.
The 16-team field includes all 12 Call of Duty League rosters, three teams from the Tier 2 Call of Duty Challengers 2026 Finals, and one team that will come through the Last Chance Qualifier. That qualifier will take place on-site in Paris from July 31 through August 2.
The main event will run from August 5-9. Teams will begin in double-elimination GSL groups, with eight advancing to a single-elimination playoff bracket.
Esports World Cup 2026 groups
| Group A | Group B |
|---|---|
| FaZe Clan | OpTic Gaming |
| Movistar KOI | Team WaR |
| G2 Esports | 100 Thieves |
| Cloud9 | Boston Breach |
| Gentle Mates | Team Falcons |
| OMIT | Project Notorious |
| Carolina Royal Ravens | Team Heretics |
| Last Chance Qualifier | Vancouver Surge |
The event uses parent-organization names instead of some teams’ Call of Duty League franchise names. That means OpTic Texas appears as OpTic Gaming, while LA Thieves appears as 100 Thieves.
Six of the first eight matches will be played on August 5. The other two opening matches will follow on August 6.
- Movistar KOI vs. Carolina Royal Ravens
- FaZe Clan vs. Last Chance Qualifier winner
- G2 Esports vs. Cloud9
- Gentle Mates vs. OMIT
- OpTic Gaming vs. Team WaR
- 100 Thieves vs. Boston Breach
- Team Falcons vs. Project Notorious
- Team Heretics vs. Vancouver Surge
16 enter, only 8 will move on 🔥
Your groups for COD BO7 at EWC26. pic.twitter.com/1My0mLKUUF
— EWC Extra (@EWC_Extra) July 26, 2026
What is at stake?
The tournament carries a $1.8 million prize pool and will close out the Black Ops 7 competitive calendar. OpTic Gaming will defend its Esports World Cup title after winning the 2025 event, while FaZe Clan will enter after taking its first Call of Duty League Championship in five years.
That recent result gives OpTic another chance to respond after losing the CDL Championship Grand Final. FaZe, meanwhile, will try to turn its latest championship into a longer run of success. 100 Thieves will also be looking for a better result after finishing joint-last at the previous Esports World Cup.
Mark your calendars…
Day one of COD BO7 at EWC26 ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/1BljzRJiJX
— EWC Extra (@EWC_Extra) July 27, 2026
The group stage will begin on August 5, with the Last Chance Qualifier taking place first from July 31 to August 2.
Which team do you think will win the Black Ops 7 Esports World Cup? Share your thoughts in the comments, and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, and Instagram.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
Developed by Treyarch, Raven Software
Embrace the madness.
In Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Treyarch and Raven Software are bringing players the most mind-bending Black Ops ever. The year is 2035 and the world is on the brink of chaos, ravaged by violent conflict and psychological warfare following the events of the fan-favorite titles Black Ops 2 and Black Ops 6. Wielding cutting-edge technology, the Black Ops team led by David Mason must fight back against a manipulative enemy who weaponizes fear above all else.
- Genre: Shooter
- Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox One
- Modes: Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative
- Release: 2025-11-14
- Publisher: Activision
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Age Rating:
- IGDB Rating: 31.0/100
