S8UL Signs Grandmaster Pranesh M For Esports World Cup 2026, Strengthening Chess Lineup

S8UL announces Indian Chess Grandmaster Pranesh M as a new signing for Esports World Cup 2026. The organisation also confirms athlete line-ups across 12 game titles. Chess at the event offers a $1.5 million (~INR 14 crore) prize pool. The chess competition runs from August 11 to 15 in Riyadh.

The wider Esports World Cup 2026 runs in Riyadh from July 6 to August 23. Organisers expect over 2,000 players from 200 clubs. Participants represent more than 100 countries. The overall prize pool stands at $75 million (~INR 711 crore). S8UL says the roster combines Indian players and international names.

Pranesh M joins Grandmasters Nihal Sarin and Aravindh Chithambaram in S8UL's chess squad. Chess returns after the tournament featured it last year. Four

places are already locked in. The defending champion qualifies automatically. Two more qualify via Speed Chess Championship 2025, plus one from Chess.com Open 2026.

More qualification places come from the Champions Chess Tour standings. Nine players qualify through that route. Nihal Sarin ranks seventh in those standings. Pranesh M ranks fifteenth. Both are the highest-ranked Indians still in contention. DreamHack Atlanta runs from May 15 to 17. It awards four spots.

The final four chess places come from Last Chance Qualifiers held nearer the event. S8UL says these pathways shape how players reach Riyadh. Chess games are part of a wider multi-title plan. The organisation also competes in mobile, PC, console, fighting, racing, battle royale, and strategy games.

Across the full Esports World Cup 2026 schedule, S8UL fields squads in 12 titles. The organisation names championship-winning groups and new signings. The confirmed rosters are listed below.

Title	Players
Apex Legends	Rick Wirth (Sharky), Benjamin Spaseski (Jesko), Tom Canty (Legacy)
Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI)	Aaryaman Seth (Thunder), Harsh Paudwal (Goblin), Khush Singh (Jokerr), Nakul Sharma (NakuL), Yash Choudhary (LEGIT)
Call of Duty (COD): Warzone	Aidan Provenzano (Knight), Chris Paez (Clumziy), Raul Mercado III (Rxul)
Chess	Aravindh Chithambaram, Nihal Sarin, Pranesh M
EA Sports FC	Aditya Chadha (Krusher), Jonas Wirth (Jonny), Julien Perbal (Fouma)
Fatal Fury and Street Fighter 6	Ansh Arora (Closing Regent), Prateek Bhaunt (B Haunt), Prince (Prince)
Fortnite	David Ciubotariu (Faded), Kaan Tafli (Kaan)
Honor of Kings	Darkness, Meruem, Xtreme, XesoL, Kyurem, Kael, Doffy, Kong
MOBA Legends 5v5	Bikash Tamang (Bobe), Chirag Singh (Radium), Debasish Sana (Anti), Jay Mehta (J), Mohammad Saad (Apex), Muhammad Syahroni (Ronn)
TEKKEN 8	Akhil Kakar (Tetsu), Gurashish Singh (Soul), Mohammad Sameer (AK Arhaan), Nakul Sharma (Weak Akuma)
Trackmania	Alexander Page (Whizzy), Kunal Upreti (Spark), Neal Kamdar (Neal)

S8UL Esports World Cup 2026 new signings and retained squads

For this campaign, S8UL adds players in Chess, COD: Warzone, EA Sports FC, Fatal Fury, Fortnite, Honor of Kings, Street Fighter 6, TEKKEN 8, and Trackmania. The organisation keeps existing squads in Apex Legends, BGMI, and MOBA Legends 5v5. S8UL says the mix supports a broad push across game formats.

S8UL also runs a Talent Hunt Program for fighting games. Through it, six Indian athletes are selected for Fatal Fury, Street Fighter 6, and TEKKEN 8. S8UL says support includes coaching, funded tournaments, travel support, and a monthly stipend. Selected players also join S8UL's wider content ecosystem.

"The Esports World Cup, with its scale of competition, diversity of titles, and quality of teams involved, is the biggest stage in competitive gaming. For us at S8UL, esports is no longer viewed through the lens of a single game or region, which is why we have built rosters that combine international stars with top talent from India. Competing at this level requires patience, planning, the right people, and a culture where players feel fully supported to perform at their best.

"We have worked hard behind the scenes to create that environment, and I'm proud of the teams we are sending into this year's EWC. Our goal is to make our community proud and continue proving that an organisation from India can belong among the very best in world esports. "

S8UL now heads towards Esports World Cup 2026 with squads in chess and 11 other titles. Chess qualification routes include Champions Chess Tour standings, DreamHack Atlanta on May 15 to 17, and Last Chance Qualifiers. The club's key chess dates run from August 11 to 15, within the wider July 6 to August 23 event window.