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EWC 2026 CS2 Groups Set After Open Qualifier
32 teams are locked for EWC 2026 CS2 after BIG, K27, 100 Thieves, and JiJieHao made it through the Paris Open Qualifier. They join 28 invited squads in the main event starting August 12, fighting for a $2M prize pool. Check the full group draw, matchups, and format to see who gets a tough start and who might run the bracket.
Complete EWC 2026 Group Draw: Groups A–D
The organizers seeded all 32 teams into four groups of eight using the July Valve Regional Standings. BIG’s ranking created an unusual Group A, where two Open Qualifier teams landed together.
| Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit | Falcons | Vitality | Natus Vincere |
| Aurora | Legacy | MOUZ | FURIA |
| G2 | BetBoom | FUT | 9z |
| GamerLegion | Astralis | B8 | The MongolZ |
| Luminosity | MIBR | PARIVISION | magic |
| M80 | FaZe | TYLOO | paiN |
| BIG | Ninjas in Pyjamas | Lynn Vision | Wildcard |
| JiJieHao | K27 | 100 Thieves | 3DMAX |
Group C immediately stands out on paper, with Vitality and MOUZ joined by FUT, B8, PARIVISION, TYLOO, Lynn Vision, and qualifier survivor 100 Thieves. Group A gives BIG and JiJieHao another chance to build on their qualifier runs, but Spirit, Aurora, and G2 make the route demanding.
Open Qualifier Teams and Their Group Placements
Four teams secured EWC 2026 spots through the final qualifier, each closing their runs with tight series and strong individual impact.
100 Thieves land in Group C against Vitality, BIG and JiJieHao join Group A, while K27 enter Group B after a hard-fought finish.
100 Thieves vs 1win
BIG vs Sashi
K27 vs fnatic
JiJieHao vs HOTU
Group Stage Format and Playoff Qualification
The group stage uses double elimination. Opening matches are best-of-one, while every later group-stage series is best-of-three. Four teams from each group advance, creating a 16-team single-elimination playoff bracket.
The playoffs run August 19-23, with the grand final scheduled for the Accor Arena. That format leaves room for recovery after an early loss, but the BO1 openers put immediate pressure on every favorite.
Group Stage Dates and Opening Matchups
Group play runs from Wednesday, August 12 through Sunday, August 16. The opening slate is already set:
| Group | Opening matches |
|---|---|
| A | Spirit vs JiJieHao; Luminosity vs GamerLegion; G2 vs M80; BIG vs Aurora |
| B | Falcons vs K27; MIBR vs stralis; BetBoom vs FaZe; Ninjas in Pyjamas vs Legacy |
| C | Vitality vs 100 Thieves; PARIVISION vs B8; FUT vs TYLOO; Lynn Vision vs MOUZ |
| D | Natus Vincere vs 3DMAX; magic vs The MongolZ; 9z vs paiN; Wildcard vs FURIA |
For the qualifier teams, there is no gentle entry. 100 Thieves draw Vitality, K27 meet Falcons, JiJieHao face Spirit, and BIG open against Aurora, setting up four immediate tests of whether their Paris qualifier form can carry into the main event.
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