The talent lineup for the Esports World Cup main stage is now public. The roster features 20 broadcast members who will manage hosting, analyzing, casting, and reporting duties during the two-week tournament in Paris.
The first week of competition relies on established tier-one talent. Tres “stunna” Saranthus and Mike “DarfMike” Winnick take charge of the studio desk as hosts, while Freya “Freya” Spiers handles the reporting duties. Jason “moses” O’Toole is scheduled to serve a dual role as both an analyst and commentator. He joins a commentary lineup that introduces Anthony “AllInGaming” Ferdinando and Donny “Buckethead” Higgins to the main stage.
Week 1 lineup
Studio hosts and reporters:
- Tres “stunna” Saranthus
- Mike “DarfMike” Winnick
- Freya “Freya” Spiers
Analysts:
- Janko “YNk” Paunović
- Jacob “Pimp” Winneche
- Peter “dupreeh” Rasmussen
- Jason “moses” O’Toole
Commentators:
- Chad “SPUNJ” Burchill
- Alex “Machine” Richardson
- Hugo “Hugo” Byron
- Harry “JustHarry” Russell
- Adam “Dinko” Hawthorne
- Jason “moses” O’Toole
- Anthony “AllInGaming” Ferdinando
- Donny “Buckethead” Higgins
The second week introduces a shift in the broadcast personnel. French veteran Nathan “NBK-” Schmitt joins the analyst desk. The hosting responsibilities will transition to a trio featuring Iain “Iain Chambers” Chambers, Lou “Loupiote” Henguelle, and Chris “Puckett” Puckett. James “BanKs” Banks also joins the reporting team for the final stretch.
Week 2 lineup
Stage and studio hosts:
- Iain “Iain Chambers” Chambers
- Lou “Loupiote” Henguelle
- Chris “Puckett” Puckett
Analysts:
- Janko “YNk” Paunović
- Jacob “Pimp” Winneche
- Peter “dupreeh” Rasmussen
- Nathan “NBK-” Schmitt
Commentators:
- Chad “SPUNJ” Burchill
- Alex “Machine” Richardson
- Hugo “Hugo” Byron
- Harry “JustHarry” Russell
- Adam “Dinko” Hawthorne
- Anthony “AllInGaming” Ferdinando
- Donny “Buckethead” Higgins
Reporters:
- Freya “Freya” Spiers
- Tres “stunna” Saranthus
- James “BanKs” Banks
Who are the new faces on the broadcast
The inclusion of several newer names provides a fresh dynamic to the talent pool. Anthony “AllInGaming” Ferdinando and Donny “Buckethead” Higgins step up to the tier-one commentary stage after years of working their way up the North American circuit. Ferdinando has been active since 2020, featuring regularly at Fragadelphia and CCT events. Higgins gained major traction recently after winning the 2025 ESEA Next Big Caster competition, which granted him an opportunity to cast the ESL Pro League Season 23 online stage. Higgins is also known for a viral moment at ESL One New York 2019, where he stacked popcorn buckets on his head on camera, giving birth to his current alias.
Lou “Loupiote” Henguelle joins the Counter-Strike 2 desk after building her resume in Valorant. The French host and interviewer previously competed as a professional player before moving to broadcast roles on the VCT EMEA English streams.
While Chris “Puckett” Puckett is not a new face in the esports industry, his presence at a tier-one Counter-Strike event is a rare occurrence in recent years. Puckett is a veteran of the Halo and Call of Duty scenes and famously hosted the MLG Major in Columbus and the ELEAGUE Major in Atlanta during the Global Offensive era. His addition to the Week 2 hosting lineup brings decades of general esports broadcasting experience to the Parisian stage.
