India Makes History at the PUBG Mobile World Cup — GodLike and Orangutan Reach the Grand Finals
August 2026 delivered one of the most significant milestones in Indian mobile esports history. GodLike Esports and iQOO Orangutan became the first Indian teams ever to qualify for the PUBG Mobile World Cup Grand Finals, held as part of the Esports World Cup 2026 in Paris, competing for a prize pool of $3 million — approximately ₹28 crore.
How They Got There
The 32-team PMWC group stage saw the field split into two groups of 16, with each team playing 12 matches. iQOO Orangutan finished second in Group A with 91 points, just 16 behind group leaders 4Thrives of Pakistan. GodLike Esports placed third in Group B with 105 points and 73 total finishes — the second-highest kill tally in their group. Both results were more than enough to advance into the top five of their respective groups and book a place in the Grand Finals, which took place from August 14 to 16.
The achievement is a meaningful marker for where Indian PUBG Mobile esports stands globally. Indian teams have historically found it difficult to convert strong domestic performances into sustained results at the top international level, making a Grand Finals appearance on the biggest stage in the world a genuinely historic moment.
What Happened in the Grand Finals
The Grand Finals brought out the best of the global competition, and India’s two squads found the going tough against the strongest remaining field. GodLike Esports ended their run in 13th place with 84 points and one Chicken Dinner — they were actually involved in a pivotal moment in the final match, defeating eventual champions S2G Esports in a critical fight that briefly put the title in doubt, before S2G ultimately held on. Orangutan finished 15th with 76 points. Despite not reaching the podium, both teams showed standout individual performances — Wizzgod from Orangutan pulled off a 1v4 clutch against FURIA, and AKOP completed a 1v3 against ULF Esports in the final day of play. S2G Esports were ultimately crowned PMWC 2026 champions.
