A Maltese delegation consisting of two competitors, a coach, and the president participated in the World Esports Championships held in Iasi, Romania, between August 24 and September 3, 2023.
This was the third time that Malta was represented at the worldwide competition, and it was their best performance yet. Both competitors, Lyon Lee Buhagiar in Tekken 7 and Malcolm Said in eFootball, qualified from the group stage and into the playoffs.
In Tekken 7, Buhagiar placed an overall 17th out of 91 countries, while Said placed 33rd out of 97 countries. Buhagiar defeated the Dominican Republic, the Maldives, and India, but ultimately lost to Georgia in the second round of the playoff stage. Said registered wins against Algeria, Honduras, and Bahrain, as well as draws against Australia and France, but ultimately lost to Uruguay in the first round of the playoff stage.
The World Esports Championships are a great opportunity for players of all skill levels, and from every geographic region, to attempt to make it to the world stage. Malta’s performance this year shows that they are a force to be reckoned with in the world of esports.