Seven teams carrying the Filipino name competed at the World Airsoft Games in Abu Dhabi this week, with several finishing well inside the rankings in a championship that drew 60 squads from more than 20 nations — a field that included established outfits from the United Kingdom, Russia, Belgium, Kazakhstan, and the United States.
The five-day tournament, held March 24 to 28 at the twofour54 backlot in Al Samha, was organised by the UAE Airsoft Federation and is described as the largest airsoft championship ever staged in the UAE. The total prize pool reached USD $280,000, spread across Tactical Airsoft and Speedsoft — two formats that test completely different athletic and strategic demands.
How the Filipinos placed
In Speedsoft Pro, MAG 16 was the standout Filipino performer, finishing 7th in the First Stage Rankings with 47 points. The result put them ahead of the American squad revelation (8th, 43 pts) and Kyrgyzstan’s Legion KYR (9th, 36 pts) in a bracket where Belgium’s Union topped the table with 150 points.
In Tactical Airsoft, UFAC — United Filipino Airsoft Club — reached 8th place in the overall standings, while Level Zero Raiders finished 10th. Level Zero Raiders also competed in Speedsoft Pro, where they placed 13th with 9 points.
The three Filipino Speedsoft Pro entries rounded out with Sub Zero Raiders at 15th (-6 pts) and MASA at 18th (-48 pts).
On the Amateur Speedsoft side, three additional Filipino squads — Dubai Recon Airsoft Group, Trix, and Raptor — also took part, though their final standings were not included in rankings released at the time of publication.
In Tactical Airsoft, Force Recon joined Level Zero Raiders and UFAC to complete the Filipino contingent in that division.
Level Zero Raiders: from Dubai field sessions to the world stage
Level Zero Raiders entered the tournament as representatives of the UAE rather than the Philippines — a distinction that reflects the squad’s roots in the Filipino expatriate community of the Emirates. The team is affiliated with UFAC, which holds recognition from the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai.
Getting to the starting line required more than just showing up. Joseph Sambas, the team’s former leader, explained the process ahead of the games: “Our selection to represent the UAE in the World Airsoft Games was based on the organizers’ evaluation, where we submitted our team profiles and references to demonstrate that we are an elite and capable team.”
Preparation involved twice-weekly field training sessions, with additional strategy work conducted remotely through video calls when players’ schedules or venue availability made in-person sessions difficult.
The competition format
Tactical Airsoft matches at the championship ran for approximately 30 minutes per round and were built around objective-based scenarios — including a heist format, a VIP extraction mission, and a multi-team elimination round. Speedsoft operates on a far shorter clock, with each engagement capped at 90 seconds. All competitors across both formats were restricted to semi-automatic fire at a maximum of 1.5 Joules.
The venue at twofour54 covered more than 100,000 square metres and was purpose-built for the event, with separate arenas for each discipline alongside spectator areas and fan zones open to the public at no charge, subject to prior registration.
Among the Filipino participants, Sheena Cajocon stood out for a different reason. She competed across three squads making her one of the few women, and the only Filipina, to take the field across multiple divisions at the tournament.
