Several PUBG Mobile contenders during the Esports World Cup in Paris were hospitalized severely ill on August 14, 2026, on Day 1 of the World Cup Grand Finals. About 20 participants of various national teams suffered from nausea and vomiting so badly that the organizers decided to put off the event after four of the total six games had been played.
There was an arrival of an ambulance to the venue, the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. There was also the establishment of a tent on a temporary basis to act as a medical room where the medical practitioners would work. One of the ill gamers, Wang “MiLu” Bo from Tianba, was taken to the hospital because of vomiting.
Players affected by this incident, as reported in various esports news media and community updates, also include Manya from GodLike Esports, Emre7 from IDA Esports, NoFear from Horaa Esports, Aaru and AKOP from Orangutan, and Lost from S2G Esports.
The transmission was put on hold for well over an hour. The event organizers rescheduled the last two matches of the day until August 15, as this would give the players time to rest and play under even conditions. According to the results of the four matches that were held, the leader is eArena, and right behind it is Tianba and Nigma Galaxy.
The problem was initially observed by Esports writer Richard Lewis, who had reported some initial incidents as well as subsequent reports showing that the number could go up to 20. Lewis further added that the problem was confirmed during the Esports World Cup broadcast. The issue seemed limited to one catering company used for PUBG mobile players.
Esports World Cup organizers acknowledged that players from multiple teams felt unwell. In a statement covered widely, including through Chinese media channels, they said player health came first, medical support was in place, the problem seemed confined to the PUBG Mobile event, and an investigation with authorities was underway. Tickets for the delayed August 14 sessions remained valid for the following day.
Some players were allegedly feeling unwell at the end of Match 1, but they were able to continue playing nevertheless. This has led to the controversy over whether the results of the completed matches should be voided and the tournament should be restarted from scratch or not. For now, the organizers have decided to keep the four matches that have been completed while allowing the players to recover and move on to Day 2 with an expanded schedule.
Player recovery remains the clear priority as the Grand Finals resume with the adjusted schedule. Further updates on individual statuses and the investigation are expected from official channels.
