BanKs spoke about the atmosphere at the 2026 CS2 Esports World Cup and assessed FUT Esports’ performance
Esports host and interviewer James “BanKs” Banks shared his impressions of the recently concluded tournament in Paris on social media platform X. The British expert raved about the atmosphere in the packed French arena during the 2026 Esports World Cup, and also assessed the performance and long-term prospects of the revamped FUT Esports roster.
The popular host was absolutely thrilled with the tournament and noted the incredible support from the local fans in the stands, which remained strong throughout all the competition days even in the absence of the home team:
Counter-Strike triumphed today! The arena in Paris was packed; Vitality wasn’t there, but the crowd still went wild every single round, from start to finish. I absolutely love this! We need more championships in Paris. The 2023 and 2026 events proved that this venue can deliver results and deserves to host elite CS tournaments.
In addition to his overall assessment of the organization of the French esports festival, the British player commented specifically on the final matchup and praised the Turkish team for putting up a fight right after their recent roster addition:
It was an excellent final. FUT fought hard at every turn, and this was right after adding xfl0ud to the roster! These are very positive signs for the development and growth of this young team, and I’m confident that with this level of play, they’ll continue to climb the rankings. The loss stings right now, but this is just the beginning!
The 2026 Counter-Strike 2 Esports World Cup took place in Paris at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles and Accor Arena from August 12 to 23, 2026. In the final match, Team Spirit defeated FUT Esports with a 3–1 map score. The winners took home $600,000, while the runners-up received $340,000.
Photo by Sebastian Pandelache, PGL.
