BIG kept their playoff hopes alive at XSE Pro League Guangzhou 2026 after defeating Ninjas in Pyjamas 2-1 in the Swiss Stage’s 1-2 bracket. The German side recovered from losing their own map pick to claim the series and advance to the 2-2 pool, while NiP became the latest team to be eliminated from the tournament.
Road through the Swiss Stage
BIG’s tournament has been a rollercoaster. After opening with a narrow 16-14 victory over Lynn Vision, they suffered consecutive defeats to BetBoom and MIBR, dropping into the 1-2 elimination bracket. The win over Ninjas in Pyjamas keeps their campaign alive and moves them to 2-2, where one final victory will secure a playoff berth.
For NiP, the defeat ends a disappointing run in Guangzhou. The European squad started with a close 14-16 loss to 3DMAX, bounced back by defeating Luminosity 2-1, but then suffered defeats to Alliance and BIG to finish the event with a 1-3 record.
BIG survive elimination match
With both teams entering the series at 1-2, defeat meant immediate elimination. BIG started strongly by stealing NiP’s map pick, Anubis, 13-11, before the Swedish organization responded with a convincing 13-9 victory on Inferno.
The decider on Ancient quickly turned into a one-sided affair. BIG dominated the map from the opening rounds, racing to a commanding lead before closing the series with a comfortable 13-6 victory to secure the match 2-1.
tabseN leads BIG to victory
Johannes “tabseN” Wodarz was the driving force behind BIG’s success. The German captain finished the series with a 1.28 rating, 80.6 ADR, and 45-41 K-D, earning Player of the Match honors. Jon “JDC” de Castro (1.24 rating) and Benjamin “blameF” Bremer (1.22 rating) also delivered consistent performances throughout the series.
For Ninjas in Pyjamas, Martin “stavn” Lund was the only player to finish above a 1.00 rating with 1.11, while the rest of the squad struggled to keep pace during the decisive third map.
VRS update
The victory also improved BIG’s position in the Valve Regional Standings. The German team gained 27 VRS points, climbing from 25th to 23rd, while Ninjas in Pyjamas lost 13 points and remain 28th in the rankings.
Community reaction
BIG celebrated the victory on social media with the message “WE STAY ALIVE IN CHINA”, while Jon “JDC” de Castro simply posted, “2:1 against @NIPCS GGWP.”
Ninjas in Pyjamas acknowledged their elimination with a brief statement on X, posting “out of XSE Pro League” alongside a thank-you graphic dedicated to their supporters.
What’s next?
BIG remain in contention for a playoff spot and will play one final Swiss Stage match in the 2-2 bracket, where victory will send them into the playoffs. For Ninjas in Pyjamas, the loss marks the end of their XSE Pro League Guangzhou 2026 campaign, leaving the team to regroup ahead of the next events on the calendar.
