Royal Ravens out of Esports World Cup, FiveFears called up

The Carolina Royal Ravens have been disqualified from the 2025 Esports World Cup due to a breach of roster regulations, forcing the Call of Duty League franchise to withdraw from the competition just days before kickoff.

The disqualification came after the team made more than one roster change following the CDL Championship — a clear violation of the tournament’s rules, which only allow a single post-season adjustment to the starting lineup.

With Isiah “Gwinn” Gwinn and Thomas “TJHaLy” Haly both departing, the Ravens were left with just two eligible players.

Despite their efforts to rebuild and reach an agreement with event organisers, they were denied entry.

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In an official statement released via social media, the Royal Ravens said:

“We are deeply disappointed to announce that despite our best efforts to come to an agreement with the TO about our participation in this year’s competition, we were denied, and we will not be competing this year.”

Taking the Ravens’ spot is FiveFears, a talented Challengers team that had a strong showing throughout the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 season.

They secured a top-six finish at the Challengers Finals and were the highest-ranking team by Pro Points not already qualified.

Though the team recently lost standout player Abe to Toronto Ultra, they’re expected to be reinforced by former Royal Raven Kenyen “Capsidal” Sutton, who will likely complete the roster.

The Call of Duty Esports World Cup will begin on July 24 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, featuring 16 of the world’s top teams battling for a US$1.8 million prize pool.