PNC 2026: Pride & Glory

PNC 2026 is about to kick off! Here’s what you need to know about the top contenders, according to guest columnist and caster Jisuboy.

Team pride and honor are on the line. For the users who enjoy PUBG and the viewers who love esports, wouldn't this be considered the most special moment of the year? The PUBG Nations Cup (hereafter PNC), which began at Jangchung Arena in 2019, is looking ahead to its 6th edition this year. This PNC 2026 will feature a total of 24 teams and is expected to be the biggest and most special event yet. And at the center of it all, many of you must be wondering which team will ultimately lift the trophy.

Today, let's take a look at the most likely championship contenders for PNC 2026.

\[Natus Vincere Assemble - Ukraine]

The comrades who parted ways in the past have returned and reunited. In the past, when Hakatory was heavily dominating in international tournaments, there was the formidable backup fire of someone who was keeping their eyes wide open. Many players fell to their knees before them. However, unfortunately they couldn't ultimately secure a championship, leading them to part ways and walk their own paths. Quite some time has passed, and they have reunited as the representatives of the Ukraine team for PNC 2026. The joining of DIFX, who used to be the reliable turret for Natus Vincere (hereafter NAVI), can be considered the strongest imaginable combination for Ukraine. 

It is no exaggeration to say that Ukraine’s roster is practically NAVI itself. There are already three players from NAVI, and DIFX has a history of building synergy with NAVI for a long time. If Feyerist takes charge of the overall macro and team direction, Hakatory and boost1k will stand at the very front to shake up enemy lines, while DIFX operates the match by providing support fire from the back. Because the individual mechanics of the players are excellent, they mostly engage in gunfights that rely on raw aim, and their win rate is incredibly high.

In particular, Hakatory, who secured the "Man of the Match" title 9 times in the 2026 PGS and firmly established himself as the undisputed best fragger in the world, has quite good synergy with the rising rookie fragger, boost1k. In this PNC 2026 as well, when a scenario arises where these two are dominating, if DIFX fills in the empty gaps, it naturally makes you wonder: who could possibly beat this team?

Of course, as I have repeatedly mentioned in previous columns, their greatest weakness is their squad preservation. When analyzing the metrics of the 2026 PGS, if there is one glaring aspect about NAVI, it is that their revival count is extremely low. Across 70 Final Stage matches, they recorded a total of 52 revives, averaging 0.74 per match, showing poor resilience. This means that when a team fight breaks out, their combat power leakage is severe. The average revival count of the teams that won the 2026 PGS was 1.52 per match; compared to that, their figure drops to almost half. If opponents specifically target the moments when Ukraine's knock feed pops up, they can force them to fail their recovery and collapse.

ACE - HakatoryThe number one candidate for the World's Best Gunner. From 2025 to now, it is safe to say almost no one can match his offensive power. Even the Emperor of Europe, xmpl, has to take a backseat; his gunplay alone is top-tier. However, because he is as fiery as his shots, his body often pushes too far forward, resulting in frequent early eliminations. Since Thailand's Best Gunner, KISS, has recently leveled up his weight class, a head-to-head clash between the two is highly anticipated.

\[USA]

PNC 2024 was held in South Korea. The South Korean team won by a narrow margin, but the point difference at the time was exactly 1 point. If the Brazilian team hadn't kept them in check, South Korea's victory might not have happened. 10th place in 2019, 9th in 2022, 7th in 2023, runners-up in 2024, and 4th in 2025. This is the USA team.

Looking at the main roster of the USA team, Shrimzy and Kickstart, who have consistently participated since 2022, stand out the most. Both have served as the main artillery for their team, Falcons, and they lack absolutely nothing in representing the USA team this time. Mid-to-long-range shooting is their specialty, and Shrimzy, in particular, has always shown great performances in international tournaments for many years, making him an undeniable target of caution.

Born in 1993. The Professor. PurdyKurty, who holds the nickname "Professor," has taken the baton holder of the USA team since PNC 2024 and showcases solid macro in every match. Earning his nickname thanks to his precise grenade throwing abilities, if you evaluate him solely on throwing skills, he boasts a phenomenal level that ranks in the top five globally. He primarily uses a macro pattern of calmly occupying choke points and, once the grenade distance is reached, destroying the opposing team with throwables to seize the victory.

It is no exaggeration to say that Cowboi, who was newly selected as a representative for the USA team this time, was chosen for his outstanding individual mechanics. His play of entering key strongholds of the battlefield first, holding out, and winning is remarkable. He enjoys the playstyle of constantly shaking up other teams from the front while receiving mid-to-long-range support fire from his teammates, and his value will soar to its peak in this very tournament.

With overall good balance and a characteristic calmness, the USA team is expected to record a high placement in this PNC 2026 as well. If they aim for third-party events of other teams or slightly elevate their aggressive tendencies, I think they have enough power to fully aim for the championship this time.

ACE - ShrimzyIf asked to pick just one player in the USA who is the most stable and consistent, Shrimzy is definitely the first to be chosen. He is great at infighting and boasts explosive firepower at mid-to-long ranges. However, compared to the performance he has shown on the international stage so far, he has been slightly shaky recently, so the key is how much his condition has recovered. I look forward to seeing if he can rebuild the faltering prestige of the USA team.

\[The First Trophy - China]

The Chinese team achieved their best result—runner-up—since participating in PNC last year, but even that probably wasn't satisfying for them. And understandably so, because the absolute elite members of the Chinese team were fully mobilized. This year, the one who rose to be the world's best (MMing) is gone, and the unprecedented genius (Aixleft) has also suddenly left. However, I can say that my prediction makes this the scariest Chinese representative team ever, and their chances of winning are higher than ever before.

For a long time, many Chinese teams showed strength in the Asian region but often looked poor or inconsistent on the international stage. But there is a player who, based on years of international experience, has participated in almost every international tournament and delivered results. Not having a championship win on the international stage was the only flaw in his career, but he overcame even this by winning the PGS series. Now, the only tasks left for him are winning PNC and PGC. Who is it? It's the story of China's greatest commander, Lilghost.

First of all, this player's judgment in taking good spots at the right timing and adjusting the pacing of defense is phenomenal. Because of this, all teams clearly know the methods he uses, yet cannot easily breach them. There are no openings. Even if they manage to create an opening and deal damage, Lilghost reinforces that very weakness in the next match. How can you fight against an opponent who unconditionally holds the upper hand in mind games?

What about throwables? His team, 17Gaming, boasts world-class accuracy in throwing abilities. Grenades thrown together perfectly on time and dropping exactly in the right places bring down even impregnable fortresses. After weakening the enemy with precise throwables, they send in a general to dominate the battlefield. His teammate, xwudd, perfectly executes that role without hesitation.

17Gaming's xwudd flaunted his skills not only in the regional tournament, PCL, but also by never backing down in any international tournament he participated in. Beyond mere individual mechanics, he is exceptional at reading the opponent's psychology, neutralizing countless fraggers. If you run into this player, you might as well abandon the thought of walking away unscathed. His close-quarters combat sense is innate, and you literally cannot beat him unless you risk everything. He can easily be called the Best Gunner of the Central Plains. He is a player who can personally prove why he was selected as a Chinese national representative for 3 consecutive years.

With great overall macro, and joined by SpaceMan, the MVP of 2026 PGS1, the momentum of the Chinese team for this PNC 2026 is extraordinary. Furthermore, three of the Chinese representative players belong to the same team, 17Gaming, and since their coach, Akuma, is also taking the helm for the Chinese team, strategy formulation and player management are much smoother compared to other teams. The first PNC trophy is getting closer to the Chinese team.

ACE - tiantianAmong the newly selected Chinese representatives this year, 17Gaming's tiantian, along with xwudd, can be picked as the most feared player. He claimed the final MVP in the regional PCL tournament this year and maintained top-tier stats in PGS as well. His combat sense is so excellent that he doesn't fall short compared to xwudd, and if I had to name his biggest strength, it's that his proficiency with literally every weapon is extremely high. If you ask players what their main weapons are, they would generally answer an AR/DMR combo, but this player doesn't discriminate. AR, DMR, SR, Shotgun, M249, Panzerfaust, Mortar—once he gets his hands on them, they simply turn into lethal killing machines. In particular, the accuracy of the mortars he fires is often absurdly precise, making him a figure requiring extreme caution. If China wins this tournament, tiantian will likely be standing at the vanguard.

\[KISS the Trophy - Thailand]

The recent momentum of the Thai teams is unusual. Just last year, FULL SENSE (hereafter FS) won PGC 2025, and in 2026 PGS, Made in Thailand (hereafter MiTH) won twice. Perhaps because of this, looking at the lineup of this Thai representative team, you can see it is composed of terrifying players. Having achieved good results in PNC, they have caught the perfect opportunity to relieve their past sorrows.

Thailand's best long-range shooter, Belmoth, showcased outstanding mechanics in last year's PGC. When the matches ended, he led the team to the championship, was selected as the final MVP, and became the owner of the Porsche everyone coveted. Because he delivered massive performances at crucial phases, possesses exceptionally brilliant shooting skills, and is equipped with composure, he has joined the Thai representative team for the first time in a while since his selection in 2022.

TiGGER is a player with the world's best aggressive tendencies. He is adept at catching other combat events during a match, often inflating his explosive stats through hit-and-run tactics. Furthermore, his close-quarters infighting skills are so outstanding that if this player's knock feed pops up nearby, every team must put their guard on high alert.

When weighing the contributions to MiTH winning this 2026 PGS 6, Scappy's share is substantial. His indoor defense is a masterpiece, and because he pursues plays entirely free of greed, he ranked 2nd overall in survival time, becoming the epitome of stability. He is expected to properly fulfill the role of Thailand's final gatekeeper.

Since two FS members who led the PGC victory last year and two MiTH members who are showing a fantastic start in '26 have joined forces, expectations are high. However, because FS's performance this year hasn't been great, the key is whether they can overcome the main players of other teams that have generally leveled up. Additionally, since the macro directions of their respective teams are distinctly different, it will be interesting to see how this team bridges that gap.

ACE - KISSA perfect hexagon player who combines flawless infighting, innate combat sense, pressure plays through throwing setups, and composure on the big stage, along with deep respect for his teammates. If I had to pick just one player currently recording the highest stock value, it would probably be Thailand's Best Gunner, KISS.

From his debut, this player's skills have been extraordinary. He frequently ambushed and assassinated from spots enemies never expected, and the victims were mostly top-class players with world-class mechanics. Being where he shouldn't be, and not being where he should be, leaves the victims completely helpless.

This player is scary when roaming alone, but is far trickier when playing with the strict backup of his teammates. Not only does he rarely go down even under heavy fire, but he plays while precisely recognizing the angles from which his teammates can support him, allowing him to pour his focus entirely into one place. Going a step further, he perfectly pictures the structures and covers of buildings in his head while playing, making his throwing accuracy ghost-like.

You want to know his weakness? Unless Thailand's team play completely breaks down, or KISS gets a stomachache on match day and his condition severely drops, this player shows no weaknesses. If you want to win this PNC 2026, you must crush Thailand's Best Gunner, KISS. If not, you will find yourselves watching KISS literally kissing the PNC trophy.

\[The Golden Star of PNC - Vietnam]

PNC until now has been a continuous chaos where no one knew who would win. There was even a time when a team won by a hair's breadth of 1 point. Even when the point gap was large, it was around 30 points. But 2025 was different. The point difference between 1st and 2nd place was a staggering 61 points. It was a truly overwhelming gap. No one could bring them to their knees. Both their macro and their combat were close to perfect. The defending champions of PNC: Vietnam.

Since participating in PNC, the Vietnam team has never dropped outside the top 4. Vietnam team's legendary coach, DjChip, remains. Moreover, not a single player out of those who lifted the PNC 2025 trophy has changed. Excluding TanVuu, 4 members including the coach currently belong to the same team, Anyone's Legend, and considering Captain Delwyn's previous home team, it's safe to say they are practically the same team.

This team's macro is simple. Captain and main IGL, Delwyn, preoccupies a good spot, and the teammates prefer the method of clearing the outskirts with raw power before joining up. If there is a unique trait to this player, it is his outstanding ability to develop positions or rotation routes that others rarely use, and even if he dies early, his post-death shotcalling is so good that it immensely helps his teammates grasp the battlefield. He is undeniably the world's best brain.

TanVuu is a player building the ultimate career, winning PGC in 2024 and PNC in 2025. Being able to attach a star to the Vietnam uniform came from this player's incredible survival instincts and combat sense. Hanging alone on a Miramar cliff, wiping out countless enemies, and personally eliminating the fiercely pursuing South Korean team—that player is TanVuu. In fact, during the last PNC 2025, he proved he is an exceptional player by securing 1st place in total kills and 2nd place in total survival time, competing for the final MVP with Vietnam's greatest superstar, Himass.

Recently, Solozy has also been raising his momentum in the 2026 PGS, with his condition peaking. This player's strength is his high understanding of all weapons and his flawless, clean movements. He utilizes mortars and Panzerfausts at the perfect times, taking on the role of carving out a path for the team, and his success rate is phenomenal.

However, looking at their recent match records in 2026 PGS, some inconsistent fluctuations have occurred, so the rivals facing the Vietnam team must not miss the flow to push forward. They must absolutely not give this team the moment to regain their rhythm. The moment you give them an opening, you will not be able to stop the Vietnam team, equipped with explosive combat power and smart macro abilities.

ACE - HimassThis player can be called the icon and superstar of Vietnam. In his 4th PNC appearance, Himass possesses the qualities to become the greatest player of all time. He overcomes numerically disadvantageous situations with his own combat sense, and in particular, his AR first-bullet accuracy is so razor-sharp that he rarely loses in AR head-to-head duels. During PNC 2025, in order to eliminate just Himass left on a balcony, four German representatives rushed him, only to almost get wiped out themselves. In terms of sheer AR skill alone, I'd bet he easily ranks in the top five globally. Furthermore, because this player is also excellent at shooting the Lynx AMR, dropping your guard just because it's long-range can blow up the match itself.

Now, the Vietnam team is eyeing the South Korean team, which holds the record of two PNC championship wins. But can they really stop this player by sheer force? If they fail to stop this Vietnamese monster, they will just have to watch as a second star gets engraved on the red uniform.

\[Spear, Shield, Commander, Captain - South Korea]

There is a team that secured runner-up in 2019, 4th place in 2022, won in 2023, and secured back-to-back championships in 2024. However, in 2025, they finished in 8th place, failing to achieve the massive milestone of three consecutive championships. The National Representative Selection Committee was formed once again, picking the best players. This is the South Korea team.

What they considered the most important in this South Korea team selection was balance. First, they needed the sharpest spear to neutralize other teams at the absolute frontline of the battlefield. The one who took on the role of that spear was the flame-like frontline fragger of T1: Heather (Ji-hoon Cha).

From around his debut, Heather is a player who has produced countless highlight reels and boasts a high win rate even in 1vsMany fights. He quickly grasps the advantage/disadvantage of a fight, never missing a setup that favors him, and being proficient in all weapons, if you leave it to him, he has the ability to wipe out an entire squad in an instant. Even compared side-by-side with the aces of other regions mentioned above, he is a player who lacks absolutely nothing. Despite his young age, born in just 2005, his ability to never shrink on the big stage is also considered a strength.

If you have a spear boasting sharp offensive power, you can't be without a shield, right? Across all players globally, Heaven (Tae-sung Kim) has the least variance in performance, is considered the ultimate hexagon player, and was the leading figure in the two PNC championships. It is hard to find him in poor condition, and he showcases legendary performances every time he competes.

Ironically, when this player shines the brightest is when the team is in a critical crisis. It's no wonder he earned the nickname "South Korea's Best Shield." Whether it's throwables, close-range, or long-range, he plans to protect his teammates with his heavy shots and blinding clutch saves.

Next, a commander was needed to tune the overall flow of the match. Consistently delivering results in international matches, and possessing a career unmatched by anyone at the domestic level, the main IGL of DN Soopers (DNS), Gyumin (Gyu-min Shim), was the perfect fit.

Gyumin excels at accurately reading the situations of other teams and proposing the team's next scenario. Not only that, but he also frequently displays outstanding combat abilities—a crucial virtue for modern main IGLs. Holding his breath, he accurately sprayed AR first bullets to take down countless players. He is a talent equipped with both brawn and brains.

And, of course, there had to be a Captain to tie the South Korean players together. A whopping 9 years since his debut. Born in '95. Age is just a number. Even at this very moment, he is still growing: SeongJang (Jung-hwan Seong) took the captain's armband.

SeongJang's greatest strengths are his tuning and throwing abilities. When the main IGL ponders and selects among multiple scenarios in a match, he has the insight to modify it so that it becomes the ultimate best scenario, and his perfect throwing abilities forged by 3rd-person play make impossible breaches possible. He is also adept at grasping the surrounding combat situations, making his Kill Steal (KS) abilities exceptional.

While their overall raw combat power might lag slightly behind other regions, considering their ability to read the situation and flow at crucial moments, the overall fighting power of the South Korea team looks second to none. I'm curious about the final result of the South Korea team boasting perfect balance.

ACE - HeavenIf we only look at flashiness or super plays within a match, players from other regions might look more dazzling. But at the most perilous moments, the player who made a collapsing team hold on and eventually stand back up was always Heaven. The reason the South Korea team could attach two stars. At the center of it, he always stood. A player who has silently proven himself through his gameplay for the team's victory. South Korea's Guardian Deity, Heaven, is now looking toward a third star that no one has ever reached.

Conclusion

What kind of tournament is PNC to you? To some, it might just be a simple event match. But heading into a match carrying the expectations, pride, and honor of countless fans cheering for you is not a common occurrence. Some step onto the battlefield to write a new history, some to reclaim lost glory, and others to prove their own value. This once-in-a-lifetime moment. In this historic scene, whose journey will you cheer for?

- Jisuboy