9

Baiwack

Sentinels

One of two Kiwis attending EWC, Baiwack first broke onto the scene during the 2023 World Cup Qualifiers in the 2v2 era of Trackmania Esports. Fast-forward 3 years and he will be competing in Paris under the Sentinels banner. Despite primarily being known for its success in VALORANT, fans of a certain generation may remember the major American organization being represented by Bugha when he won the Fortnite World Cup back in 2019. Expectations for Baiwack at EWC will be tempered but he certainly should not be underestimated. He is not intimidated by the competition or the occasion, and will arrive full of confidence and national pride.

10

Binkss

All Gamers Global

Could we be witnessing Binkss’ breakthrough year? The young Frenchman first started making waves in the Open Grand League back in 2020/21 while competing from home on his laptop keyboard. Often flanked by his teammate and friend Gwen, he has achieved some big results in the past few years but has struggled to convert his promise into a major LAN win. However, 2026 does feel different. A disappointing 13th place at DH Birmingham was fuel for him to go and utterly dominate the Elite Cup qualifiers. Despite skipping two weeks, he managed 6 top 10 placings from 8 participations, accumulating a staggering 4000 points along the way from a potential 8000 on offer. With AG.AL in pole position heading into the final EWC week, there could not be a better time for Binkss to show the world what we all know he is capable of doing.

11

Neon

Orgless

At 17 years old, Neon is the youngest competitor at EWC and, potentially, the most difficult to predict. A rising star since 2024, he is the latest in a long line of Polish players to reach the heights of tier 1 Trackmania. At times in this year’s Elite Cups it felt as though he comfortably had an extra half a second on the field around him. But his inexperience showed as, despite his blistering pace, he ultimately lacked the consistency to crack the brutal single-life knockout format. Nowhere was this more evident than on the track Germany where he drove the fastest time by 0.12 of a second, but was unable to capitalize, finishing 12th on that day. On the flip side, he performed strongly during Overdrive split 1, finishing second overall with his teammate Pusztitopako. A couple weeks later, he went on to finish second behind Pako in the EU Regional qualifiers. With rumours that Neon could soon be joining a big organization, will he be able to translate his impressively high skill-ceiling into a statement performance at EWC?

12

Neal

S8UL

There is something special about seeing Neal compete at EWC. He has certainly had a more gradual ascent than most other players on this list. The past few years have seen him go from being an unassuming but talented prospect, to now becoming a fully fledged professional player and an instrumental figure in the development of North American Trackmania. As one of the most likeable people in the community he is also a close friend of the seven-time world champion Carl Jr. After a respectable Elite Cup campaign, Neal delivered when it mattered most by winning the NA Regional Qualifiers just over a month ago, from what was on paper a very challenging grand final lobby. Now he has punched his ticket to Paris and will pay tribute to his Indian heritage by representing S8UL Esports as the first player they signed when entering the scene earlier this year.

13

Pusztitopako

Virtus Pro

Another player who first made a name for himself during the 2023 WC Qualifiers, Pusztitopako is as threatening on track as he is to casters trying to pronounce his name. At only 19 years old, he has already had substantial success competitively both online and at LAN. In March he joined EWC title contenders Virtus.pro after a successful two years with Team Nemesis which saw him reach the World Cup semi finals in successive editions, as a solo in 2024, and alongside his former teammate Mime in 2025. The Hungarian has had his ups and downs in 2026. Despite showing some early consistency in the Elite Cups, he was unable to secure big points and went on to finish outside the direct invite spots at DH Birmingham. In May he was recognized for his efforts by winning an award in the simulation games category at the Hungarian Esports Awards. He carried that positivity into June by putting in an impressive performance and winning the EU Regional Qualifiers overall. His path to Paris may not have been smooth, but the young driver’s form seems to be peaking at just the right time ahead of EWC.

14

Otaaaq

Team Liquid

One of four former world champions attending EWC, Otaaaq plays with a chip on his shoulder and high expectations. Despite being a consistent figure in tier 1 Trackmania events for years now, you’d be mistaken for thinking Otaaaq is a veteran of the scene. At only 21 years old, he’s the second prong in a two player Team Liquid Trackmania lineup alongside the British star Epos. Between them, they have won all editions of XPEvo, a highly competitive community LAN held in Germany, since its appearance on the circuit. After a somewhat frustrating year, Otaaaq ultimately qualified for Paris through the Elite Cups with over 80% of his points coming from two maps despite finishing four times in the 10th to 15th range in other weeks of play. To this point, the Frenchman hasn’t been able to replicate the success he achieved in his 2023 campaign. With the arrival of EWC to Trackmania, he’ll be hoping his best years are still to come. That starts with achieving a strong result in Paris.

15

Richie

Orgless

On his feet, headset off, in disbelief, that’s how Richie broke onto the scene in 2023 after securing qualification to the finals of Zerator’s Ascension tournament which, at the time, boasted the game’s biggest ever prizepool at 75k€. He has equaled his earnings from that event simply by reaching the final stages of EWC. Up until May, he didn’t give any indication that he was a candidate for Paris. Early in the year, he was one of few players who split his focus across multiple competitions by taking part in Season 3 of the Beacon World League. However, he joined the race after a solid 3rd place in the Elite Cup on Canada. In June, he became the final player to qualify from EU after an exciting finish to the regional qualifiers which saw him deny his compatriot Melioo. Those with knowledge of the scene will know that you can never count Richie out. He will leave everything out on track in search of a top 24, or even top 16 finish.

16

Cemko

Team RRQ

When the EWC regional qualifiers were announced for Trackmania, the chances of a Turkish player reaching Paris increased significantly. The Middle East and Africa qualifiers saw 7 out of 11 slots occupied by Turkish players. The country’s unusually large player base could be linked to the popular streamer and competitive player Birdie, who was Cemko’s teammate in 2023 under the FUT Esports banner. Two top 15 Elite Cup results were the highlight of Cemko’s qualification phase which saw him also clinch a spot at the Esports Nations Cup later this year. On May 1st he was announced alongside Huso as the Trackmania lineup for major Indonesian organization Rex Regum Queon, who are yet to score points at this EWC. Cemko is unlikely to affect their points tally but he is a strong player in his own right who will certainly enjoy the opportunity to represent the MEA region on Trackmania’s biggest stage.