GM Benjamin Bok secured qualification for the 2026 Esports World Cup by defeating GM Vidit Gujrathi in the 2026 India Rising Finals held in Mumbai on July 4.
The match went the distance with all three sets decided by armageddon tiebreaks. Bok won the first set 3-2, lost the second 2-3, and clinched the decisive third set 2-1 with a win as White in the final armageddon game.
The event featured a best-of-three sets format with the first two sets consisting of four games each and the third set best of two. Bidding armageddons served as tiebreaks throughout. Bok advanced after defeating GMs Karthikeyan Murali and Arjun Erigaisi in the playoffs, while Vidit defeated GMs M Pranesh and Raunak Sadhwani.
Following the victory, Bok received the qualification along with a prize of approximately $10,000. He commented on the final game: "I thought I was struggling, but when I won a pawn, I had pretty good hopes for my position. And then at some point it just fell apart for him." The Esports World Cup is scheduled for Paris on August 14 and 15.