After an unforgettable season of FC Pro League competitions there is still drama to come before the 2026’s FC Pro World Championship kicks off at the Esports World Cup.

Before the main competition begins, 10 qualification spots still need to be decided and it all starts with the Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ). 512 players will be in contention to claim one of the 60 spots/places into the Play-Ins. From there, the last 10 players will qualify for the FC Pro World Championships alongside the 26 already-qualified players. 

Last Chance Qualifiers 

For 512 FC Pro players, this is the last chance to make it to the biggest FC26 tournament of the year.

26 pros have already confirmed their spot, making the final 10 places highly coveted. 

But before the action gets under way at the Esports World Cup, the remaining Play-In spots still need to be decided. 

512 FC players from across the world registered to take part in the massive Last Chance Qualifier in EWC Paris, France. 

The Last Chance Qualifier will be split in three stages.

In the first stage, the pool of players will be divided into 32 groups of 16, and compete in a double-elimination format.. The top four players in each group will progress to Stage 2.

128 pros will enter Stage 2, where they will be split into eight groups of 16 to play in a double elimination bracket. From here, the top four players from each group will move onto Stage 3.

Stage 3 will see 32 players play in a double elimination bracket. Eight players from the upper bracket will qualify for the Play-Ins. Four players from the lower bracket will qualify for the Play-Ins. Then the four players eliminated in the lower bracket round three will face each other in a single elimination bracket, where the winner of each match-up will qualify for the Play-ins.

Amongst the over 500+ pro players coming to the Last Chance Qualifier, some well-known names within the FC Pro scene will be making an appearance. 

With names such as GuiBarros, LJR_Peixoto, Stokes, Obrun, Ollelito, Fouma and KTzn, joining the other World Championship hopefuls.. With just 14 places on the line, the Last Chance Qualifier promises to be one of the most competitive events of the season.

FC Pro World Championship Play-Ins

26 of the 36 players have already qualified for the FC Pro World Championship Finals, leaving 10 remaining places to be decided in the Play-Ins.

Sixty contenders, including the 14 players advancing from the LCQ, will compete in an all-or-nothing one-day tournament.

The action kicks off with the group stage, where players are drawn into 10 groups of six. They will play every other player in their respective groups once. After five games, the top four players from each group will advance to the Playoffs. The bottom two from each group will be eliminated.

The Playoffs consist of 10 gauntlet style single-elimination brackets, each featuring four players.The winner of each bracket will earn their ticket to the FC Pro World Championship Finals.

Once the Play-Ins conclude, we will know the full lineup of players who will battle it out at the FC Pro World Championship at Esports World Cup 2026.

The LCQ and Play-Ins have proven to be a valuable route to the World Championship, for players who have missed out on winning partner leagues or succeeding in FC Ladder events. 

It was through last season's FC Pro World Championship Play-Ins that ManuBachoore qualified for the Finals. From there, the Dutchman went on to win his second FC Pro World Championship, becoming the first player to win the FC Pro World Championship twice.

The quality of players competing in the Play-Ins demonstrates just how important qualifying for the World Championship has become.how important playing on the world stage is. This has the potential to be the finest Play-Ins we’ve ever seen. Some of the very best FC Pros are set to face off in a high-stakes environment.Tekkz, Stingray, Jonny, Adida and last season’s World Championship runner-up Brice are just a handful of the names already in Play-ins contention.

The intrigue and drama of the Last Chance Qualifier and Play-ins will take place on July 9-12, mere days away from the Group and Knockout Stages on July 22-26. 

Ten triumphant players will get their chance to play for the world championship, while everyone else will go home. 

The pressure is well and truly on, but who will have what it takes to write their names in the history books?