Ninjas in Pyjamas replace Virtus.pro at Thunderpick World Championship

Ninjas in Pyjamas replace Virtus.pro at Thunderpick World Championship

Ninjas in Pyjamas have replaced Virtus.pro at the Thunderpick World Championship 2026 after the latter organization withdrew from the tournament.

The event will take place in Malta from October 14–18, with eight teams competing across two groups.

Virtus.pro withdraw over roster issues

Virtus.pro had qualified for the event through the closed qualifier but withdrew following complications involving two players.

Aleksandr "AquaRS" Kovalev encountered visa problems, while Dias "F0R3VER" Kutubay temporarily stepped away from the active roster for health reasons.

Under the tournament's replacement rules, Ninjas in Pyjamas received the vacant invitation.

Opening matchups confirmed

The eight-team competition will begin with two GSL-format groups, with four teams advancing to the single-elimination playoffs.

Group A features Falcons , Ninjas in Pyjamas , 9z and aurora .

Group B includes Legacy , PARIVISION , FURIA Esports and BETBOOM.

The opening matches on October 14 are:

• 18:30 — 9z vs aurora

• 21:00 — Falcons vs Ninjas in Pyjamas

• 23:30 — Legacy vs PARIVISION

FURIA Esports against BETBOOM follows at 01:00 on October 15.

All times are Bangkok/Jakarta (UTC+7).

The tournament will conclude with a best-of-five grand final following the third-place decider.