In 2019, the very first, and so far only, Fortnite World Cup was one of the biggest esports competitions in the world. Hundreds of thousands of people tuned in to watch, with millions of dollars being split amongst the winners.
After a multi-year hiatus, the World Cup is now back, with 2023 set to be one of the biggest years for the game. Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming Fortnite Championship.
What is the Fortnite World Cup?
The first thing to note is that the upcoming tournament isn’t quite the World Cup, and like other esports games that have major tournaments, it is a Global Championship. It will be in a duos format and will see the best players from around the world compete to be crowned the best duo on earth.
Format
The format of the competition is rather detailed, with the qualification process beginning many months before the day of the major. The first part of the qualification took place in February, with three weeks of competition, then Surge Week, then the Grand Finals.
In the first three weeks, players would earn points that would either earn them a place in the Grand Finals or not. If they did not earn enough points, then Surge Week was used as a last-chance qualifier. Players would then move on to the Grand Finals, with the winners qualifying for the main event.
There will be another two majors that follow this same format over the coming months until we reach August when we will see the Last Chance Major. As it says on the tin, this will be the last time duos will be able to qualify for the main event.
While all the details of the Global Championship aren’t quite known yet, we do know it will be taking place in person in Copenhagen later on in the year. This will also mark the first in-person Fortnite tournament since the World Cup in 2019.
Who to watch
If you haven’t been keeping up with the competitive side of Fortnite over the past few months, you may be unfamiliar with the big names. If you have been watching the tournaments and qualifiers of late, these names will be all too familiar.
Mero
Arguably the best player in the world right now, Mero has been the one to beat every time he logs into a server. Not only is he dominant as a Solo, but he has proven to be highly adaptable in both the Duo and Trio formats.
He has recently begun playing and dominating with Bugha, with the duo getting into the top five of every tournament they have been in. When the Global Championship comes around, it’s going to take a very special team to beat these two.
Bugha
Speaking of Bugha, the 2019 World Cup winner is one of the best players from the United States and one of the best in the world. While his form dipped for a little while, teaming up with Mero has brought him back in a big way.
As mentioned already, they have been dominating the majors and qualifiers so far, and by the time the Global Championship comes around, it is hard to see how a duo that consists of the best player in the world and a World Cup champion can be beaten.
Rehx
While Mero and Bugha may be the best in the world, right now, Rehx is in the form of his life. Whether he is playing solos or duos, he can’t seem to stop winning, no matter how big or small the tournament is.
He has played duos with both Reet and EpikWhale, pulling off incredible results with both partners. While he will most likely duo with Reet in the upcoming Championship, Rehx is a player you should definitely keep your eye on.
Malibuca
A name many fans may not be familiar with is Malibuca. While he has been playing since 2021, he only recently came into the spotlight as one of the best players around. While he is yet to win a major tournament, he has been leaving his mark on smaller ones.
Alongside his duo partner Merstanch, Malibuca has been getting the results he needs to qualify for the Global Championship. While many may feel he is out of his depth, don’t underestimate what he is capable of.
EpikWhale
EpikWhale gained notoriety after finishing third in the Fortnite World Cup, and since then, has been one of the most consistent players around. Considering many World Cup entries have faded away, EpikWhale has proven that pure talent and skill last a lifetime.
It is unclear who he will duo with at the Championship, but let it be known that if he is on the server, then nobody is safe.