The group stage of the Esports World Cup 2026 in CS2 has concluded — out of 32 teams, only 16 remain. Now the single elimination playoff stage awaits us, where every mistake could be the last. All matches, except for the grand final, will be played in a BO3 format.
It is especially interesting that the bracket has been divided into two very different parts: several main favorites of the tournament ended up in one at once, while the other looks much more open.
The first to play in the playoffs will be G2 and Astralis.
G2 looks like the favorite of this matchup. The team confidently passed the group stage, and individually the G2 roster currently looks stronger. Astralis, in turn, secured a ticket to the playoffs through the lower bracket, defeating NiP.
Favorite: G2
FUT became one of the main surprises of the group stage, knocking out MOUZ and directly advancing to the playoffs.
magic also surprised by passing 9z in the lower bracket, but in terms of experience at major tournaments, the advantage is still on FUT's side.
Favorite: FUT Esports
One of the most unpredictable pairs of the first round.
FURIA made it through the group via the upper bracket and defeated 9z, but the team did not show an absolutely dominating game. Aurora also has a strong roster and is capable of punishing the opponent for any mistakes. Here everything could literally be decided on the third map.
Favorite: FURIA, but with a minimal advantage
GamerLegion became one of the best teams of the group stage, advancing to the playoffs through the upper bracket.
However, MOUZ is an opponent of a completely different level. The team has extensive experience performing in the decisive stages of top tournaments and has already managed to win BLAST Bounty Summer 2026.
Favorite: MOUZ
One of the most interesting matchups for Ukrainian fans.
NAVI had a very strong group stage: the Ukrainians defeated the reigning EWC champions — The MongolZ — with a score of 2:1 and advanced to the playoffs through the upper bracket.
Legacy also deserves respect. The Brazilians made it through the group after defeating MIBR and NiP and can create problems for strong teams.
But in terms of roster, experience, and the game shown at EWC, NAVI looks like the clear favorite.
Favorite: NAVI
One of the central matches of the first round.
The MongolZ arrived to defend their EWC championship title, but already lost to NAVI in the group. Despite this, the Mongolian roster managed to fight its way to the playoffs through the lower bracket.
On the other side — Falcons. The team with NiKo, m0NESY, and karrigan is considered one of the main contenders for the trophy and looks much more stable.
Favorite: Team Falcons
Another matchup that could easily be seen at a later stage.
FaZe is currently in a rebuilding process, but the team has already demonstrated good form at EWC. Vitality, on the contrary, had problems in the group stage — the French even lost to B8, after which they were forced to make their way to the playoffs through the lower bracket.
However, the French should not be written off. ZywOo and company have vast experience in big matches.
Favorite: Vitality, but FaZe is fully capable of creating a sensation
The Ukrainians from B8 received one of the most high-profile opponents — Team Spirit.
B8 became one of the sensations of the group stage, defeating Vitality and advancing to the playoffs through the upper bracket without any losses.
Spirit, conversely, had a hard time: the team lost their opening match to JiJieHao and only after victories over Luminosity and BIG were they able to save their run.
On paper, Spirit is stronger. But considering B8's form, this match definitely cannot be called an easy walk for either team.
Favorite: Team Spirit, but B8 is the main dark horse of this pair
If we evaluate the entire bracket, then Team Falcons looks like the main favorite of EWC 2026. The team has one of the strongest fives of the tournament, they arrived with the status of IEM Cologne Major 2026 champions and have already demonstrated a stable game in the group stage.
Among Team Falcons' main competitors in the fight for the title are NAVI, Spirit, Vitality, FURIA, and MOUZ.
But the main intrigue lies in the fact that NAVI, Falcons, Spirit, and Vitality ended up in one half of the bracket.
Therefore, the path to the final for any of them will be extremely difficult. And in the other part of the bracket, the situation is much more open — FURIA, MOUZ, G2, FUT, Astralis, GamerLegion, and Aurora have real chances of reaching the semifinals.
The playoffs start on August 19, and the final will take place on August 23 at the Accor Arena in Paris.
As a reminder, Snappi on NIP's instability, cairne's replacement, and goals at the Esports World Cup 2026.