FiveFears Officially Replaces Carolina Royal Ravens at the Esports World Cup

After weeks of speculation and mounting uncertainty, it’s now official: FiveFears will take the place of the Carolina Royal Ravens at the upcoming Esports World Cup. The Challengers squad has been elevated to the biggest stage in competitive Call of Duty following Carolina’s disqualification due to roster regulation violations.

The Royal Ravens were ruled ineligible after attempting to make multiple roster changes ahead of the Esports World Cup, violating the tournament’s strict one-change policy. Following the expiration of key contracts—namely, superstar SMG duo Isaiah "Gwinn" Gwinn and Thomas "TJHaLy" Haly—Carolina was left with just two eligible players. Attempts to sign Marcus "Afro" Reid, Felix "FDot" McKee, and Enzo "Cobra" Mekentichi were ultimately rejected by tournament officials, sealing the team’s fate and disqualifying them from participation.

📸 Photo by @P3ngu7n

In their place, FiveFears has been selected. The team, consisting of Luis "Fire" Rivera, Charlie "Hicksy" Hicks, and Kaden "Exceed" Stockdale, had a decent run in the 2025 Challengers circuit and finished top 6 at the Challengers Finals, just outside direct qualification. Due to their Pro Points, FiveFears emerged as the top candidate to replace the Royal Ravens, edging out fellow top-6 team Royal Spartans based on the Pro Point tiebreakers.

The roster has already begun adjusting to their new opportunity. After losing Abe to the Toronto Ultra, FiveFears is expected to finalize their lineup by signing one more Challenger's player before the tournament kicks off. One name heavily rumored to join the team is Kenyen "Capsidal" Sutton, a former pro with CDL experience and strong performances in the Tier 2 scene.

For FiveFears, this marks a massive opportunity to prove themselves on the international stage. What began as a season of steady growth and strong placements has now turned into a chance to compete against the best teams in the world in Riyadh. For fans of the underdog story, FiveFears instantly becomes a team to watch.