Sources: Atomic, Daniel and Firstkiller to represent the USA in Rocket League at the Esports Nations Cup

“I’m definitely hoping to be selected, I would love to represent my country,” Jason “Firstkiller” Corral told Sheep Esports on Thursday following Shopify Rebellion’s victory over Twisted Minds to open their Paris Major campaign. That ambition has now become reality. At 21 years old, yet already considered a veteran of the Rocket League scene, Firstkiller will represent the United States at the upcoming Esports Nations Cup, set to take place in Riyadh from 3 to 8 November.

Across nearly a decade of competition, Firstkiller has previously represented his country on the international stage. The SR player was part of the United States roster during the American finals of the Intel World Open — an event associated with the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games whose original ambitions were significantly reduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as teams from different continents ultimately never faced one another. Although victorious in a tournament with limited international opposition, Firstkiller has not represented the United States in an official competition since then.

A finalist at two Majors at club level, Firstkiller has nonetheless never secured a premier international title. While the Paris Major offered another opportunity to finally claim one, SR’s campaign stopped in the semi-final. The Esports Nations Cup may now present a genuine chance, as he will be joined by two reigning RLCS world champions: Massimo “Atomic” Franceschi and Daniel “Daniel” Piecenski, teammates since late 2023 first with G2 Esports and now with NRG.

Matthew “Satthew” Ackermann, coach of the duo at NRG and head coach of the United States national team, faced a difficult decision given that only two players from the same club roster are permitted to compete in the tournament. As a result, Satthew opted to leave out the third member of the trio, Landon “BeastMode” Konerman, who had also reached the semi-finals of the FIFA eWorld Cup 2025 alongside them.

The United States will therefore logically enter the competition among the favourites. Beyond the World Championship title won in Lyon last year, Atomic and Daniel have formed, within NRG, one of the most consistent elite-level duos of recent years. Since March 2024, the pair have reached at least the semi-finals of every international competition they have attended — with the sole exception of a quarter-final finish at the Esports World Cup — and notably claimed a Major title in London two years ago. The team was also regarded as one of the most credible contenders for the trophy last weekend in Paris, but underperformed in the competition, being eliminated in the first playoff round.

With such a roster, the United States will unsurprisingly avoid the qualification stage. The competition is expected to feature 48 different nations, similar to what FIFA has already been doing on Rocket League since 2024. Twenty-four of them are expected to receive direct invitations based on the RLCS points accumulated by the players composing their roster. Thanks to their performances, before Paris Major, Atomic and Daniel each contribute 84 points, while Firstkiller adds 73. With a combined total of 241 points so far, the United States currently sits around fifth place in the rankings and is therefore assured of a spot in the tournament’s main event.