B8’s impressive run at IEM Cologne Major 2026 came to an end after the Ukrainian squad suffered a 2-1 defeat to FUT in the 0-2 pool of Stage 3. The Turkish side bounced back from losing Dust2 to win Mirage and Ancient, keeping their Major hopes alive and sending B8 out of the tournament with a 1-3 record.
Road through Stage 3
B8 (0-3)
B8 opened Stage 3 with losses to FURIA and The MongolZ, dropping to the 0-2 bracket. The team ultimately fell to FUT and finished their Major campaign.
FUT (1-2)
The squad started Stage 3 with a narrow loss to Vitality before being defeated by G2. Facing elimination at 0-2, FUT kept their tournament hopes alive with a hard-fought victory over B8 and advanced to the 1-2 pool.
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B8 start strong, but FUT complete the comeback
The series opened on Dust2, picked by FUT, but B8 immediately took control. Led by Andrii “npl” Kukharskyi, the Ukrainians secured a 13-10 victory and moved within one map of survival. FUT answered on Mirage. Despite a competitive first half, the Turkish squad dominated after the break and leveled the series with a 13-9 win. Ancient became the deciding battleground. Both teams traded rounds throughout the map, but FUT proved stronger in the crucial moments and closed out the series 13-11 to complete the reverse sweep.
npl shines despite elimination
B8’s brightest performer was Andrii “npl” Kukharskyi. The Ukrainian rifler finished the series with 61 kills, 102.3 ADR and a 1.32 rating, earning the highest rating of the match despite ending up on the losing side.
For FUT, Dmytro “dem0n” Myroshnychenko led the team with a 1.25 rating, while Aulon “Krabeni” Fazlija added a 1.12 rating and several key rounds on the deciding map.
VRS impact
The victory gave FUT a major boost in the rankings. The team gained 25 VRS points and climbed from 13th to 11th place. B8, meanwhile, lost nine points and remained 17th in the standings.
- FUT: +25 points (#11, +2)
- B8: -9 points (#17)
Team reactions
FUT celebrated the victory with a confident message on social media:
WE ARE NOT DONE YET.
The organization posted a graphic featuring the 2-1 scoreline, emphasizing that their Cologne journey continues. B8, meanwhile, published an emotional farewell message after the defeat:
Our run at IEM Cologne Major 2026 comes to an end.
The Ukrainian organization thanked fans for their support and reflected on a memorable campaign that included a comeback from 0-2 to 3-2 in Stage 1 and a qualification for Stage 3. B8 also congratulated their opponents, replying to FUT’s post with:
GL @FUTesportsgg
What’s next?
While B8 leave Cologne with valuable experience and another Major Stage 3 appearance, FUT remain alive and will continue fighting for one of the remaining playoff spots. With elimination pressure mounting and every match now a do-or-die battle, the Turkish squad will need at least two more victories to complete their comeback from 0-2 and reach the playoffs.
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Skin.Club Pick’em Challenge
Running alongside the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 is the Skin.Club Pick’em Challenge — an interactive feature where fans predict match results, choose advancing teams, and earn points throughout the tournament. By making accurate picks, participants unlock rewards ranging from premium skins to rare gloves and knives, with the ultimate prize being the iconic AWP | Dragon Lore.
