Zonic: "Vitality Win a Lot of Games by People Already Being Scared and Thinking that They Can't Win. You Have...
Falcons shocked the CS:GO world by defeating Team Vitality, snapping the French squad's 18‑game winning streak at IEM Rio. Coach Danny “zonic” Sørensen emphasized a mindset of disrespecting opponents, taking risks, and confronting star player ZywOo head‑on. The team also highlighted a pre‑tournament FACEIT ban designed to prevent overplaying and curb bad habits. The victory propels Falcons into the Rio semifinals with heightened confidence and a strategic edge for the upcoming playoffs.
IEM Rio Playoff Bracket Set
The Intel Extreme Masters Rio 2026 playoff bracket has been announced, featuring six elite CS:GO teams in a condensed knockout format. Quarter‑final matchups pit MOUZ against Spirit and Natus Vincere against Vitality, the latter seeking revenge for a 3‑0 loss in...
FURIA Through to Semis in Rio
FURIA secured a 2‑0 victory over MOUZ to claim the second direct semifinal berth at IEM Rio. The Brazilian squad dominated on Mirage and Dust2, with Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo’s in‑game leadership proving decisive. FURIA’s top‑rated player, Danil “molodoy” Golubenko, posted...
NAVI Best Aurora to Bag Rio Quarter-Final Spot
NAVI clinched a spot in the IEM Rio 2026 playoffs by beating Aurora 2‑1. The Russian‑Ukrainian roster dominated Inferno (13‑4) and Dust2 (13‑4) while dropping a close Mirage (11‑13). The victory completes the tournament’s six‑team playoff bracket. NAVI now faces...
Media: Gaimin Gladiators to Play Cologne Major with Fer
Brazilian CS:GO organization Gaimin Gladiators announced that veteran rifler Fernando “fer” Alvarenga will replace João “felps” Vasconcellos on their roster for the IEM Cologne Major. Fer, 34, returns to tier‑one competition after a three‑and‑a‑half‑year break, having last played a major...
Eternal Fire Complete Team with MisteM
Eternal Fire announced the signing of South African in‑game leader Gareth “MisteM” Ries, completing a sweeping roster overhaul that saw former NIP captain Volodymyr “Woro2k” Veletniuk benched in favor of Romanian AWPer Iulian “regali” Harjău. The move adds a player...
Spirit Secure IEM Rio Playoffs over G2
Spirit secured the penultimate playoff berth at IEM Rio by defeating G2 in straight maps, 13‑7 on Mirage and 13‑11 on Dust2. Boris “magixx” Vorobiev highlighted the team's shaky confidence but praised their overall form, while Andrey “tN1R” posted a...
Falcons Breeze Past Spirit Into Rio Playoffs
The Falcons secured a playoff berth at IEM Rio 2026 by sweeping Spirit 2‑0, winning Anubis 13‑4 and Mirage 13‑5. Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov led the charge with a 1.87 rating, while Nikola “NiKo” Kovač added a 1.52 rating. Spirit’s Danil...
3DMAX Eliminate Liquid in Rio
At the Rio Major, 3DMAX eliminated Team Liquid after a dramatic overtime on Nuke, overturning an 11‑4 deficit. French rifler Lucas “Lucky” Chastang anchored the win with a dominant 54‑29 K/D on Ancient, securing a 1.78 rating. Liquid squandered a 4v2...
Vitality Survive G2 Scare to Secure Playoffs in Rio
Team Vitality secured a playoff berth at IEM Rio by defeating G2 Esports 2‑1 in a three‑map series. The win halted G2's momentum after a dominant 13‑5 Mirage victory but extended Vitality's series win streak to 18 consecutive matches, a...
Gentle Mates Suffer Fifth Loss in a Row After Elimination by RED Canids
Gentle Mates were knocked out of IEM Rio by RED Canids, marking their fifth straight loss. The Spanish squad had started the event with a map‑one win over G2, driven by AWP star Antonio “MartinezSa” Martinez, but faltered on Mirage where...
NiKo on Karrigan Rumors: "There Is Really No Distraction From Our Side at All"
Falcons opened IEM Rio with a dramatic comeback, overturning a 1‑9 start to beat 3DMAX. Amid the win, speculation intensified that veteran captain Finn “karrigan” Andersen will replace Damjan “kyxsan” Stoilkovski after the event. NiKo quashed lingering rumors of a...
IEM Rio 2026 Group Stage Highlights
The IEM Rio 2026 group stage delivered a torrent of high‑impact plays as top CS:GO teams battled through a double‑elimination format. Highlights included m0NESY’s quad spraydown that secured Anubis for Vitality, ZywOo’s ace to close the first map for NAVI, and...
Another Fantasy with Vitality as Frontrunners Starts with IEM Rio Group Stage
The IEM Rio 2026 group stage launches with 16 teams split into two double‑elimination brackets, all matches best‑of‑three. Vitality dominates the CS:GO fantasy market, with IGL apEX featured on roughly two‑thirds of all rosters and priced at $191 k, making him...
Media: Karrigan to Join Falcons
Finn "karrigan" Andersen will leave FaZe Clan to join the Saudi‑backed Falcons after the IEM Rio event. The move replaces captain Damjan "kyxsan" Stoilkovski, marking Falcons' first lineup change since signing Maksim "kyousuke" Lukin in June 2023. The transfer reunites...
Support Player Fans Come Here Ft. Mezii
Veteran CS:GO player William “mezii” Merriman appeared on the Come Here podcast to dissect the evolving support role in modern Counter‑Strike. As the 2025 Anchor of the Year and current flexible rifler for Team Vitality, he explained how traditional grenadier...
Cluj-Napoca to Host Second PGL Event of 2027
PGL announced that its second 2027 CS:GO event will be held in Cluj‑Napoca, Romania from February 11‑21, with playoffs at the BTarena. The tournament will feature a $1 million prize pool split evenly between team winnings and a club share, plus $300,000...
The MongolZ Outclass 3DMAX to Take Bronze in Bucharest
The MongolZ clinched third place at PGL Bucharest 2026 by beating 3DMAX 2‑0 in the decider. Their dominant play was highlighted by Techno’s 1.66 rating and a 30‑18 kill‑death line for the team’s top scorer. 3DMAX failed to capitalize on...
Marsborne Overhaul Roster with Four New Players
Marsborne announced a complete roster overhaul, retaining only AWPer Adam “Grizz” Golden while benching the remaining five players. The North American outfit signed four newcomers—Chance “WUMBO” Boyer, Mark “marekiew” Petrov, Adam “freshie” Paterson, and Bogdan “ogwizard” Savula—from BOSS and Insane Players,...
Cmtry: "After We Beat MOUZ I Gained a Lot of Confidence, and Now It's Easier to Play"
FUT advanced to the PGL Bucharest grand final, where they will meet veteran Astralis. The team's rise has been fueled by a surge in confidence from player Nikita “cmtry” Samolotov, who says arena experience in Stockholm helped him shed pressure....
FUT Beat The MongolZ to Reach First Big Final
FUT advanced to the grand final of PGL Bucharest 2026 after a 2‑0 win over The MongolZ, securing their first major final appearance. The victory lifted the Romanian‑led roster to sixth in the global VLR rankings ahead of a showdown...
The Best Highlights From PGL Bucharest Semi-Finals
The PGL Bucharest semi‑finals delivered a cascade of high‑octane moments, highlighted by FUT’s dramatic 3‑5 comeback against 3DMAX and dem0n’s near‑miraculous 1v4 clutch. Astralis gained early momentum thanks to phzy’s AWP triple and cobrazera’s 4K AWP kill that halted a...
BLAST Announce Open Singapore for March 2027
BLAST announced that Season 1 of the BLAST Open 2027 will take place in Singapore in March, coinciding with a PGL event. The tournament will feature a $400,000 acceptance pool, equating to $25,000 per team. BLAST also revealed a revamped 2027...
![Zweih: "There Is No Excuse in This Result. We Should Win This Tournament 10/10 [Times]"](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/render/image/public/images/thumbnails/58820f0b70b3ad7b04737dd7f39fc5bd.webp?width=1200&resize=contain&quality=75)
Zweih: "There Is No Excuse in This Result. We Should Win This Tournament 10/10 [Times]"
PARIVISION’s promising run at PGL Bucharest unraveled when a 9‑3 lead collapsed to a 9‑13 loss against The MongolZ on Ancient. After edging Wildcard in the group stage, coach Dastan “dastan” Akbayev publicly berated his roster, sparking tension. Player Ivan “zweih” Gogin dismissed...
Coolio: "I Don't Think There Are Many Teams in the World Like Ours, We Are More than a Family"
FUT advanced to the PGL Bucharest semi‑finals after a dominant 2‑0 win over B8, dropping only one map to Inner Circle earlier in the tournament. Coach András “coolio” Fercsák emphasized realistic expectations, noting the team’s aggressive style and strong mental...
The MongolZ Win 10 Rounds Straight to Make Bucharest Semis over PARIVISION
The MongolZ rallied from early map losses to defeat PARIVISION 16‑13 in the PGL Bucharest quarter‑final, clinching the win with a ten‑round streak on the Ancient decider. After falling behind on Dust2 and Mirage, Mongolia’s side surged thanks to clutch...
PaiN Take Purchase Option on Piriajr Loan
Brazilian CS:GO organization paiN has exercised its purchase option on rifler Guilherme "piriajr" Barbosa, ending his loan from Bounty Hunters that began in January. The 23‑year‑old posted a 1.05 rating for paiN and was instrumental in the team's first‑place finish...
D1Ledez Returns to BetBoom's Starting Roster as Zorte Stays for the Season over ArtFr0st
BetBoom announced that Artem “ArtFr0st” Kharitonov has been benched because of unresolved US and Schengen visa issues, while Aleksandr “zorte” Zagodyrenko returns to the active roster for the remainder of the season. The team also confirmed the comeback of Daniil...
Dastan: "Some Levels of Mistakes Are Unacceptable. We Have the Major, I Can't Kick Them Right Now, but if They...
Parivision survived the PGL Bucharest group stage after a shaky start, edging Wildcard in a tight 2‑1 win. The Kazakh coach Dastan "dastan" Akbayev publicly warned that repeated basic mistakes could lead to roster cuts before the upcoming Major. The...
Jame: "At This Tournament I've Run Into a Problem Where I'm Not Sure What to Call, because I Know There...
Parivision secured a Bucharest playoff berth by edging Wildcard 2‑1, finishing the group stage with a modest 3‑2 record despite entering as the top‑ranked favorite. Captain Dzhami “Jame” Ali admitted the squad’s youth and inconsistent aim‑training (CS) are limiting their...
HuNter- to Miss IEM Rio Due to Injury
G2 Esports announced that star rifler Nemanja “huNter‑” Kovač will miss IEM Rio after sustaining a cracked foot bone and severe ligament strain. Lithuanian stand‑in Vilius “tAk” Keserauskas, who posted a 1.11 rating on the G2 Ares academy squad, will fill...
ESL Announce IEM Rio Talent List
ESL has released the full English-language broadcast roster for the IEM Rio tournament, which will take place April 13‑19 and feature a $1 million prize pool. The lineup mixes veteran analysts like Freya Spiers and Jacob “Pimp” Winneche with newcomers, notably Martin...
PGL Bucharest Playoff Bracket Set
The PGL Bucharest 2026 playoffs are now set, with quarter‑final matchups featuring pre‑tournament favorites PARIVISION versus The MongolZ, FUT against B8, Astralis versus EYEBALLERS, and MIBR taking on 3DMAX. Both FUT and Astralis entered the bracket unbeaten after five rounds...
PARIVISION Slog Past Wildcard to Secure Final Bucharest Playoffs Berth
PARIVISION clinched the final PGL Bucharest 2026 playoff spot with a 2‑0 win over Wildcard. The victory hinged on a marathon 54‑round Mirage map—the third‑longest LAN match in CS2 history—followed by a tight 13‑11 Dust2. The North American roster, now...
JW Makes First MVP-Event Playoffs in Five Years as EYEBALLERS Take Down FOKUS
Veteran Swedish player Jesper "JW" Wecksell guided his own organization, Eyeballers, to a 2‑1 victory over Fokus at PGL Bucharest, securing the team’s first MVP‑event playoff appearance in over five years. The win follows a default over FaZe and strong...
El1an on Entropiq Reunion: "We're All 90 Years Old, but Somehow Everyone Has a Ton of Motivation"
Former Entropiq core players have reunited under the SPARTA banner after a brief stint with crypto‑exchange sponsor WHITEBIRD. The lineup swapped veteran Vladislav “Krad” Kravchenko for Aleksandr “TRAVIS” Timkiv and competed at MPKBK CIS LAN Season 4, narrowly missing playoffs. El1an...
Karrigan: "It's Going to Put a Scar in Me, and That's Gonna Be a Scar I Try to Heal, or...
FaZe Clan’s CS:GO roster, led by captain karrigan, failed to qualify for the IEM Cologne Major and were knocked out early at PGL Bucharest, marking the organization’s worst season to date. Karrigan described the year as “playing shit,” pointing to...
JW: "I Feel Like This Is Where I'm Supposed to Be"
Veteran CS:GO star Jesper “JW” Wecksell returned to the LAN spotlight at PGL Bucharest with the Eyeballers, a Swedish squad fresh from the tier‑two circuit. After a narrow loss to The MongolZ, JW praised his young teammates' composure and emphasized the...
BESTIA's Cologne Major Dream Ends with Loss to Passion UA in Riga
BESTIA’s Cologne Major hopes ended after a 2‑0 defeat to Passion UA in the Urban Riga Open Season 4 semi‑finals. The loss eliminates them from contention for the final Americas slot in the upcoming Cologne Major. Over the past month the squad...
Maka: "It's Been Quite some Months that We've Struggled in Terms of Confidence"
3DMAX’s PGL Bucharest campaign ended with a win over Voca, but captain Bryan “Maka” Canda admitted the squad is still grappling with low confidence after missing a third consecutive Major. The team recently overhauled its coaching staff, dismissed veterans bodyy...
TYLOO Win XSE GangKui Cup S2 over FlyQuest
TYLOO captured the XSE GangKui Cup Season 2 title, defeating FlyQuest in the grand final and earning the $15,000 prize. The win awarded TYLOO 36 ranking points, propelling them from 108th to 31st in the global VRS and securing a comfortable...
Npl on Cologne Major: "Even if We Didn't Qualify, We Said that It's Okay"
Ukrainian CS:GO squad B8 clinched a spot at the IEM Cologne Major after winning the Parken Challenger Championship, a rare triumph in a season marked by inconsistent tier‑one results. Captain Andrii “npl” Kukharskyi stressed that the team would be content...
Lynn Vision Through to Yuqilin PoB S3 Final with Another Forfeit Win
Lynn Vision secured a place in the Yuqilin Pinnacle of Battle Season 3 final after two consecutive forfeit victories, first over Rare Atom and then over TYLOO, who withdrew due to a clash with the XSE GangKui Cup finals. The walkover...
Magic Qualify for PGL Astana as K27's Major Bid Takes Big Hit
magic secured a spot at the PGL Astana Europe closed qualifier by defeating K27 3‑2 in a best‑of‑five final. The Russian‑led K27 team squandered a 2‑0 lead and lost crucial VRS points, pushing their Cologne Major hopes onto the upcoming...
NIP's Cologne Hopes Stamped Out by HEROIC
Ninjas in Pyjamas (NIP) saw their slim hopes of qualifying for the IEM Cologne Major evaporate after a 16‑14 overtime loss to HEROIC, leaving them in 5‑6th place in the Stake Ranked event. HEROIC’s victory not only secures their likely...
Boombl4: "We Want to Meet G2 in the Grand Final and Play a Best-of-Three of Best-of-Threes"
BetBoom’s in‑game leader Kirill “Boombl4” Mikhailov said the team is comfortable playing with two stand‑ins, which he believes eases pressure compared with full rosters. After beating 9INE in the lower bracket of Stake Ranked Episode 1, BetBoom remains in contention for...
Strike #10: Death, Taxes and the TO War
PGL re‑enters the tier‑one CS:GO circuit with an aggressive $11 million per‑year guaranteed payout, outbidding ESL ($10.45 million) and BLAST ($10 million) for 2027. The Romanian organiser also added a year‑long revenue‑share and flat acceptance fees, mirroring ESL’s model. By overlapping four of...
Mopoz: "We Added a Lot of Unnecessary Pressure on Ourselves"
Spanish CS2 squad Gentle Mates failed to qualify for the March Major after a disappointing showing at the Stake Ranked tournament, despite a strong start to the season with wins at IstanbulLAN and a runner‑up finish at Roman Imperium Cup...
Pigeons Join Clutchain
Clutchain, a newly launched gaming and esports platform, has signed the women’s top team Pigeons, bringing back veteran Zainab “zAAz” Turkie to replace Narmina “wieenN” Gasanova. The roster, composed of players from Russia, Slovakia, Poland, and Lebanon, aims to revive...
NIP Sign xKacpersky in Permanent Deal
Ninjas in Pyjamas announced that Polish AWPer Kacper “xKacpersky” Gabara’s nine‑month loan from ENCE has been converted into a permanent contract extending through 2026. The 19‑year‑old finished 2025 as NIP’s highest‑rated player, highlighted by a 1.46 rating at the Budapest...