NiP's EWC 2026 Revival: Swedish Squad's Rebuild for Riyadh Glory

Ninjas in Pyjamas once ruled Counter-Strike. They claimed back-to-back Majors in 2013 and 2014. Fans still remember those glory days.

However, tough times followed. NiP slipped in rankings across CS2 and other titles. Results stayed mixed for years.

Now, the Swedish org shows fresh fire. In League of Legends, they crushed Bilibili Gaming 3-0 and boast a 70% win rate over their last 10 matches. CS2 holds steady at 60% recent wins, while Rocket League sees them snag victories like 4-1 over WIP Esports in RLCS majors.

EWC 2026 calls in Riyadh with a $75 million prize pool. League returns, Fortnite joins, and Road to EWC qualifiers heat up. Can NiP seize this shot at revival?

NiP's Golden Era and the Long Slump That Followed

Ninjas in Pyjamas defined Counter-Strike dominance in 2013 and 2014. They built an unbreakable core that crushed rivals. Fans packed arenas and streamed matches in droves. Yet, what sparked that fire? And why did it fade?

What Made NiP Unstoppable Back Then

The Golden Five powered NiP's reign. GeT_RiGhT charged sites as entry fragger. f0rest backed him with sharp rifling. friberg locked down positions. Xizt called smart plays as in-game leader. Fifflaren sniped foes from afar.

They attacked fast and hard. GeT_RiGhT rushed ahead. f0rest traded kills quickly. Xizt set defaults and mid-round shifts. This style owned maps like Dust2 and Inferno. Teams crumbled under the pressure.

NiP grabbed key wins. They took ESL One Cologne 2014, their first Major, with a 3-0 sweep over Fnatic. DreamHack Winter 2013 fell next after beating Fnatic again. They racked up over 10 LAN titles in 2013 alone.

Fans exploded worldwide. Swedish pride swelled. Europe tuned in by the millions. That hype built a loyal base, much like CS2 draws crowds today after Vitality's 2025 StarLadder Budapest Major 3-1 win over FaZe. EWC 2026 eyes similar peaks in Riyadh. Could NiP reignite that magic?

The Challenges That Tested Their Resolve

Success cracked first in late 2014. NiP benched Fifflaren for Maikelele. The swap aimed to refresh, but peaks never returned. Core players drifted apart.

Changes snowballed after 2017. friberg left early that year for draken. Xizt got benched for dennis soon after. Only f0rest and GeT_RiGhT hung on briefly. f0rest exited in 2018. NiP tried REZ, pyth, and more, yet losses piled up—even to underdogs like Space Soldiers.

Slumps dragged on. No Majors since 2014. Results stayed flat. In January 2026, they dropped a key CS2 qualifier. Fresh faces like Snappi, r1nkle, and new rifler cairne fight back, coached by Xizt. Still, the road feels long.

However, fans stuck around. They cheered through the pain. Rebuilds hurt, right? NiP's grit mirrors EWC hopefuls grinding Road to Riyadh qualifiers. Empathy builds for squads that never quit.

Roster Refresh: The Bold Changes Sparking Hope

NiP shakes things up with smart roster moves. These changes fuel excitement for their EWC 2026 push in Riyadh. Fresh faces bring energy across divisions. Will they turn heads when League of Legends hits the EWC stage from July 13 to 19? Bold bets now could pay off big in Saudi Arabia's spotlight.

LoL Division's New Lineup Powers Early Wins

NiP's League squad grabbed attention in LPL Split 1. They swept Team WE 2-0 in the February 7 tiebreaker. This clean victory locked top group spots and boosted morale.

Assum shone as MVP with a 7.1 KDA and massive damage output. HOYA anchored top lane. Guwon ganked smartly from jungle. Care dominated mid with triple kills. Zhuo supported key fights. Together, they flipped leads and clutched 1v4 moments.

This new core fits EWC prep perfectly. They build synergy for Riyadh's high-stakes matches. Road to EWC qualifiers demand such grit. After missing Worlds 2025, these talents rebuild fast. Can they carry that fire to Saudi Arabia?

CS2 and Other Squads Gear Up Quietly

CS2 stays steady for NiP. They notched 11 wins in 23 matches over the last three months. That 48% rate shows fight, especially with six victories in their past 10. Recent runs include strong qualifier pushes, even after tough losses like 0-2 to Team Liquid at IEM Kraków.

Rocket League heats up too. NiP hit playoffs in RLCS 2026 Boston Major and Europe Open 1, finishing second behind Karmine Corp in the open. They dropped tight series to top teams like Shopify Rebellion. These battles sharpen skills for EWC's multi-game format.

Call of Duty holds mid-pack at 11th on the ladder. Apex Legends drew huge buzz at ALGS 2026 Championship. NiP placed 12th with 218 points amid 420,000 peak viewers and record 38,000 live tickets. Fans hyped the drama in Sapporo.

This spread across titles mirrors EWC's 22-game lineup and $75 million pool. NiP gears for Riyadh glory by balancing squads. Quiet progress builds a real threat. How will these tweaks stack up against EWC giants?

Proof of Progress: Wins That Signal Real Progress: Wins That Signal Real Momentum

NiP stacks real wins now. These results prove the rebuild works. They build steam for EWC 2026 in Riyadh. Fans see the shift. Does this momentum carry them to the $75 million stage? Let's break it down.

Breaking Through in League of Legends

NiP's LoL team fights hard in LPL Split 1 playoffs. They swept Team WE 2-0 early on. That locked strong group spots. Later, they traded blows with Bilibili Gaming in the 1/8 finals. Although BLG edged them out, NiP showed grit in tight fights.

Roster clicks fast. Hoya peels top lane threats. He blocks waves and shields carries. Guwon dives jungles smartly for ganks. Care pops off on Draven or Azir, cleaning kills after picks. Awesome survives low HP with Lulu peels. Zhuo sets up engages. Team fights flip because of this synergy. They rally from gold deficits, like game one leads against Invictus Gaming before a 1-3 loss.

Win rates climb too. They grab 70% over last 10 matches. Past three months hit 72%. Playoffs push them toward top LPL spots. League returns to EWC 2026 July 13-19. NiP eyes Riyadh qualifiers. Strong LPL runs position them well. After missing Worlds 2025 drama between KT Rolster and T1, they hunger for global spots. This fire fits EWC's high stakes.

Fan Frenzy and Steady Gains Elsewhere

Apex Legends pulls eyes. NiP hit 12th at ALGS 2026 Championship. They scored 218 points in Sapporo. Peak viewers topped 420,000. Tickets sold 38,000 live. Underdogs like Oblivion shocked, yet NiP's run sparked buzz. Crowds loved the chaos.

CS2 picks up pace. Recent qualifiers show upticks. They claim six wins in past 10. That 60% rate beats old slumps. Xizt coaches Snappi, r1nkle, and cairne to grind. Steady gains mirror Vitality's 2025 StarLadder Major sweep over FaZe.

Rocket League delivers. NiP smashed WIP Esports 4-1 in RLCS majors. Playoffs hit at Boston Major and Europe Open 1. They chased Karmine Corp close. Call of Duty sits 11th on ladders. Efforts build across boards.

These steps fuel hype. Fans frenzy over multi-game pushes. EWC 2026 packs 22 titles, including Rocket League and new Fortnite Reload. NiP's spread mirrors the event. Gains whisper threat. Riyadh awaits their charge.

How NiP Plans to Conquer EWC 2026

NiP eyes the Esports World Cup 2026 with clear intent. They sit at 17th on the qualified clubs list for the Club Championship. This spot came from steady points in early events. Riyadh's $75 million stage waits from July 6 to August 23. So, how does NiP climb higher? They grind the Road to EWC qualifiers while fixing weak spots. Recent tweaks across LoL, CS2, and more build their case. Early stumbles don't faze them. Instead, these fuel sharper plays.

Mastering the Road to EWC Qualifiers

January 2026 kicked off the Road to EWC with fire. Apex Legends champs crowned underdogs like Oblivion in Sapporo. EA Sports FC saw Anders Vejrgang claim the first major open. Trackmania got announced as a fresh EWC title. These events set a fierce tone. Teams chase club points for Riyadh invites.

NiP holds strong positioning. They locked qualification by late February. That 17th rank beats many rivals through prior results. LoL squads push LPL Split 1 playoffs. CS2 grabs qualifier wins despite drops like the IEM Kraków loss to Team Liquid. Rocket League playoffs follow close behind Karmine Corp.

Mixed results mark their path, however. CS2 hit 48% wins lately, with six in the last 10. LoL shines at 70% over recent matches but faces Top Esports next. Still, NiP adapts fast. They balance multi-game efforts for club points. Early qualifiers like CS2 opens in August build momentum. Does this grind pay off in Riyadh? Their spread across titles matches EWC's 23-game lineup.

Focus stays on top eights. Each delivers big points. NiP's LoL sweep over Team WE shows control. Rocket League's 4-1 over WIP Esports proves clutch power. They target more like these. As a result, steady climbs position them for summer glory.

Lessons from Top Teams to Beat

Rivals define NiP's blueprint. Take Al Qadsiah in Overwatch. They pushed Twisted Minds to a 4-1 grand final loss at OWCS 2025 Stockholm. Saudi strength runs deep there. NiP learns from such pressure. Their CS2 rotations must tighten to match that defense.

Vejrgang rules EA Sports FC. He dominated the FC Pro 26 Open in London. Composed knockouts beat stacked fields. NiP eyes his calm. In Rocket League, they mirror that by chasing tight series. Losses teach space control. For example, Shopify Rebellion exposed gaps. NiP fixes them now.

Oblivion shocked Apex at ALGS 2026. Club-less underdogs won via Last Chance Qualifier. NiP placed 12th with 218 points amid 420,000 peak viewers. Chaos favored bold risks. NiP gains an edge here. Their experience spans titles. Unlike pure underdogs, they rebuild with vets like Xizt coaching CS2.

NiP's multi-game depth stands out. LoL synergy flips fights. CS2 consistency rises. They study foes' peaks. Vejrgang's precision? NiP drills it in FC cross-training. Al Qadsiah's peels? Rocket League adapts. Oblivion's grit? Apex runs build it. This mix gives them tools others lack.

Club points reward versatility. Top clubs like Falcons lead with 5200. NiP closes gaps through lessons. Bold changes spark hope. Riyadh tests if they conquer. Their edge? Proven history plus fresh fire. Watch them rise.

Conclusion

NiP rebuilt smartly across League of Legends, CS2, and Rocket League. They swept foes like Team WE and WIP Esports while climbing to 17th on the EWC Club Championship list. In short, fresh rosters and steady wins position them for Riyadh's spotlight from July 6 to August 23.

Finally, EWC 2026 packs a $75 million prize pool, 22 returning titles like League of Legends from July 13 to 19, and new blood such as Fortnite Reload. Early bird tickets sell now, so grab yours before they vanish. Watch the Road to EWC qualifiers closely; will NiP surge past rivals like Falcons? NiP's fire burns bright again.