Top 10 players who didn’t qualify for the Fortnite World Cup – Ninja, Cloak, Chap and more

Ten weeks of intense online open qualifiers for the Fortnite World Cup are finally over, with many notable names failing to qualify, but who were the best players to miss out?

Despite offering $40 million in prize money for the finals and qualifiers, Epic Games have been heavily criticized by many professional players over the course of the ten weeks due to the format of the qualifiers as well as numerous bugs impacting their matches.

Currently, eliminations can be worth just as much as securing a victory royale, leading to players playing extremely aggressive rather than holding out for the win – a format which Ghost Gaming’s Timothy ‘Bizzle’ Miller described as “a joke”.

Qualifiers for the World Cup were hosted online meaning anyone in the world was able to compete.

Nevertheless, the finalists for the World Cup have been confirmed for both the duo and solo event with many star names missing from the list.

Below are the top ten players who failed to book their ticket.

Ninja

Ninja narrowly missed out on qualification.

Team: Free agentRegion: NA East

Despite coming late to the Fortnite competitive scene, Twitch superstar Tyler ‘Ninja’ Blevins has performed admirably in recent weeks alongside his duo partner Malachi ‘Reverse2k’ Grenier. 

The former Halo pro has proven he can compete with the very best, missing out on qualification by just two points in week six. Ninja did confirm that will be attending the finals despite not securing his place on the main stage.

Poach

Poach was unable to qualify despite changing duo partners.

Team: Team LiquidRegion: NA East

Another major surprise was the performances of Team Liquid’s Jake ‘Poach’ Brumleve – the second highest earner in Fortnite history in miss out on qualification. 

Despite placing well during the Summer Skirmish series, Poach has struggled to adapt to the new meta. He stated on Twitter he would be changing up his key binds in order to improve his showings in future events.

Chap

Chap teamed up with Poach after leaving 72hrs but couldn’t qualify.

Team: Team LiquidRegion: NA East

Despite switching up teammates to partner with Poach, Liquid’s Ryan ‘Chap’ Chaplo was unable to secure a qualification spot in either solo or duos. 

The 24-year-old has been vocal in his displeasure with the current meta, which has undoubtedly affected his performances as he has played nowhere near his potential.

72hrs

72hrs couldn’t qualify alongside solo qualified Vivid.

Team: Team LiquidRegion: NA East

Fan favorite Thomas ‘72hrs’ Mulligan will also not be in contention after failing to qualify alongside his new duo partner Noah ‘Vivid’ Wright. Although the pair performed well, they were unable to secure the last few points needed to jump up in the standings. 

Fans were devastated to see the duo hit with a four-minute queue during their final games in week ten, which ultimately cost them a final chance to qualify.

Cloak

Cloak will be forced to watch his teammate play solo in New York.

Team: FaZe ClanRegion: NA East

Unfortunately, Turner ‘Tfue’ Tenney won’t be joined in New York with long-term friend and teammate Dennis ‘Cloak’ Lepore after they narrowly missed out on qualification on numerous occasions. 

Despite changing their drop spot on multiple times, the TwitchCon winners couldn’t put it all together meaning Cloak is the highest earning Fortnite star who won’t be at the World Cup.

Symfuhny

Symfuhny tried multiple duo partners but no-one was the perfect fit.

Team: NRGRegion: NA East

NRG Esport star Mason ‘Symfuhny’ Lanier also missed out on qualification after experimenting with various duo partners over the course of the ten weeks. 

Nevertheless, the 20-year-old has a massive following on Twitch with plenty of fans tuning in to watch his viewing parties.

NICKMERCS

NICKMERCS and Nio Rooch are two of the world’s best controller players.

Team: FaZe ClanRegion: NA West/NA East

FaZe Clan’s Nick ‘NICKMERCS’ Kolcheff won’t be flying the flag for controller players in New York despite performing extremely well alongside his duo partner Nio Rooch. 

The former 100 Thieves member laughed off suggestions he couldn’t compete with the top Fortnite players, stating his intentions to return for the upcoming trio tournament.

Dmo

Dmo and Bizzle were two of the favorites for the duo event.

Team: Ghost GamingRegion: NA East

Due to the fierce competition in the NAE region, Ghost Gaming’s Dylan ‘Dmo’ Moore missed out on qualification even though he was considered one of the favorites for the entire tournament alongside his teammate Bizzle. Ranking #14 in the list of all-time highest earners, it was a shock to see the American struggle.

SypherPK

SypherPK has hinted at a house move to better his connection.

Team: LuminosityRegion: NA West

Popular Twitch streamer Ali ‘SypherPK’ Hassan couldn’t overcome his connection issues to secure qualification against all the odds. The Luminosity star frequently played his qualifying games with a ping over 50 which seriously hindered his chances of performing well.

Kamo

Kamo and Issa are widely regarded as the top EU controller duo.

Team: Ghost GamingRegion: EU

A major surprise in the EU region was the performance of Ghost Gaming star Liam ‘Kamo’ Fillery – who was considered one of the top duos alongside his teammate Issa ‘Issa’ Rahim. The pair’s practice was impeded by an injury to Issa’s hand which almost certainly cost them a chance at qualification.

When is the Fortnite World Cup?

The Fortnite World Cup takes place July 26-28 in New York City, New York. 100 players will battle it out to win their share of $30 million, with the solo winner walking away from the event with $3 million in prize money.