Team USA announce final roster for Overwatch World Cup

Olivia Richman Published 27/08/2019

Team USA has revealed the entirety of its final roster for the 2019 Overwatch World Cup.

While an expected shortlist was announced a month ago, the official roster has a few unexpected picks for fans who have been patiently awaiting the news. To keep the Overwatch community hype all day, the official Team USA Twitter account revealed only a few players at a time, with announcements spread out over the course of an afternoon.

The first two players announced were the supports. The main support for Team USA is Grant “Moth” Espe of the San Francisco Shock. The Lucio main has been exciting Overwatch League crowds throughout Stage 4’s 2-2-2 meta. Houston Outlaw’s Shane “Rawkus” Flaherty will be the team’s flex support for the third year in a row. Rawkus is a veteran player who has participated in two World Cups to date. The two supports played in the World Cup together last year.

An hour and a half later, Team USA announced their tanks. San Francisco Shock’s Matthew “Super” DeLisi, who is playing on the national team for the first time, will be the main tank. This comes after his trying out for Team USA three years in a row.

Los Angeles Valiant’s Indy “SPACE” Halpern will be Team USA’s off-tank. This came as no surprise, since he was the only off-tank included on the shortlist some time ago. It’s the D.Va main’s second year playing as Team USA’s off-tank.

Team USA assembles its DPS for Overwatch World Cup

The DPS were announced after, highlighting three Overwatch League favorites. MVP candidate Jay “Sinatraa” Won of the Shock will be returning to Team USA for the third time. While this may come as no surprise to Overwatch viewers, the other two DPS picks were a little more unexpected.

Washington Justice’s Corey “Corey” Nigra will be playing for Team USA for the first time despite his team’s subpar OWL performance this season. Fans were still able to see his potential thanks to his pinpoint accuracy on Widowmaker and Hanzo. It will also be Los Angeles Valiant’s Kyle “KSF” Frandanisa’s first time taking part in the World Cup.

While fans celebrate the complete roster, it’s hard to forget the drama leading up to this point. Atlanta Reign’s outspoken Dusttin “Dogman” Bowerman called Team USA head coach Aaron “Aero” Atkins “incompetent.” He even called him out during Los Angeles Valiant’s Homestand Weekend, saying “GG, buddy” in a post-match interview.

Philadelphia Fusion’s Elijah “Elk” Gallagher turned down Team USA’s offer to play with the team in June. On Twitter, the support player said his time would be “best spent” focusing on Fusion University. He also endorsed Moth as the top choice for Team USA, which may have played a role in Moth being selected.

Olivia Richman

About Olivia Richman

Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.

View full profile