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WYLDE, Ireland’s leading esports club, has officially secured its position in the BLAST Europe MENA (EML) Rainbow Six Siege League. This achievement marks a significant milestone for Ireland’s esports and gaming international standing. The EML league will feature the Top 10 teams from Europe and the Middle East, competing for the much-coveted regional championship crown. The top teams will qualify for the Esports World Cup Foundation (#EWC) and vie for the ultimate honour of participating in the Ubisoft Six Invitational Tournament 2026. These Rainbow Six tournaments represent a combined prize pool of more than USD 5 million.
The Tier 1 placement by the international esports club represents the culmination of a remarkable journey that began less than 12 months ago when WYLDE held open trials across Europe to find prospective Rainbow Six esports players. Following several trials between December 2023 and June 2024, the team was announced by WYLDE esports manager Rene Bouma, with captain Evan Mc Donnell, a native of County Louth (Ireland), alongside team mates – Kieren Harley-Pesce, Szilard Fekete, Matheus Rocha, Alejandro Garcia and Max Haim (Head Coach).
This initiative is not new for WYLDE, which has been running a dedicated esports Academy in Cork since 2022. The Academy has successfully supported players in various gaming titles such as Rocket League, VALORANT, Trackmania, and EAFC. Notably, JP Sleator and Ciaran Walsh won the domestic Football Association of Ireland #EAFC25 Tournaments; eLOI Championship and eFAI Tournament in 2025.
The EML qualification is a testament to the WYLDE Academy structure now in place and its ability to identify, support, and empower esports talent from relative obscurity and provide tangible pathways to Tier 1 esports competition.
Upon qualification, WYLDE CEO Steve Daly said, “We founded WYLDE to redefine the standards of a professional esports club. This commitment has allowed WYLDE players and teams to compete on the global stage. Our Academy serves as a crucial foundation for our club. Last weekend’s achievements highlight the hard work, patience, and expertise we’ve dedicated to creating a first-class Academy structure.”
WYLDE is the only Irish esports club consistently competing at Tier 1 level. Within Rainbow Six Siege, a Top 10 esports title globally, WYLDE competed in the European League 2023 & 2024. 2025 marked the merger of the European and Middle Eastern regions, and WYLDE needed to re-qualify as one of the top ten teams in the combined areas. Instead of recruiting tried-and-tested talent, a brave decision was taken to back the Academy team.
The teams competing in the 2025 EML are: G2 Esports, Gen.G, Team Secret, Fnatic, Team BDS, Team Falcons, Wolves, Virtus.pro, MACKO™ Esports and WYLDE.