ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A team representing the Kurdistan Region and Iraq has participated in the PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) Mobile World Cup - which is taking place as part of the broader 2026 Esports World Cup in Paris.
The team, known as 721 GSE Sports, is among 32 different teams from around the globe, with the competitions starting on Thursday and running until August 15.
Following six matches in the preliminary stages, 721 GSE Sports has not yielded satisfactory results or delivered a high-level performance, though hope remains.
One team member who goes by his in-game handle, Aliko, told Rudaw’s Zinar Shino that they are still hopeful to advance to the finals.
“We had a tough first day, but the second day is still ahead of us,” he said, adding, “God willing, we will perform better tomorrow.”
The tournament features 24 different categories of electronic games across PC, PlayStation, and mobile platforms, with dedicated venues and stages set up for each game.
A total of three million dollars have been allocated specifically for the PUBG Mobile event.
Brwa Betwayati, co-leader of the Kurdish team, explained that five teams will advance directly to the finals. Those finishing from 6th to 13th place will move to the Last Chance stage, where the top four can still secure a spot in the finals.
“God willing, we have high hopes for ourselves and the team; even if we don't succeed here, we can still qualify through the Last Chance stage,” he said.
PUBG is an online multiplayer battle royale video game developed by PUBG Studios and published by Krafton. Originally released in 2017, it popularized the modern battle royale genre.
