FUT have eliminated MOUZ from the Esports World Cup 2026 after a confident 2-0 victory in the playoff quarter-finals. The European squad now moves within one series of the grand final.
The result is especially notable because FUT’s roster, which includes four former NAVI Junior players, has now moved above NAVI’s main team in the VRS ranking. Meanwhile, MOUZ leaves the tournament in fifth-eighth place and receives $60,000 in prize money.
FUT close the series in two maps
The quarter-final was scheduled as a best-of-three series, but FUT needed only two maps to secure their place in the semifinals. MOUZ removed Anubis, while FUT banned Inferno. MOUZ selected Dust2, FUT chose Ancient, and Mirage remained as the potential decider. However, the third map was not played.
On Dust2, FUT claimed a 16-13 win after a closely contested opening map. MOUZ stayed competitive throughout the game, but FUT converted key rounds to take a 1-0 lead in the series. Yasin “xfl0ud” Koç led FUT on Dust2 with a 24-18 K-D score.
Ancient became a far more one-sided affair. FUT won the map 13-5 and completed the 2-0 sweep without allowing MOUZ to force Mirage. MOUZ’s selected map, Dust2, was competitive, but FUT’s strong performance on Ancient ultimately decided the quarter-final.
xfl0ud leads FUT to the semifinals
Yasin “xfl0ud” Koç was the standout player of the series. The FUT rifler finished with a 39-32 K-D record, 99.9 ADR, 78.7% KAST and a 1.48 Rating.
Aulon “Krabeni” Fazlija also delivered an important performance with a 1.21 rating. In addition, Nikita “cmtry” Samolotov finished on 1.14, while Dmytro “dem0N” Myroshnychenko posted a 1.13 rating. FUT’s balanced output gave MOUZ little room to recover after the opening map.
FUT overtake NAVI in VRS ranking
The victory brought FUT a major boost in the Valve Regional Standings. FUT started the match with 1776 VRS points in ninth place. After gaining 83 points, they reached 1859 points and climbed four positions to fifth place.
This rise means FUT have overtaken NAVI in the VRS ranking. It is a significant milestone for a roster containing four former NAVI Junior players, who are now ranked above NAVI’s main lineup following their Esports World Cup playoff win.
MOUZ entered the match with 1901 VRS points in third place. The defeat cost them 12 points, leaving the team on 1889 points. As a result, MOUZ dropped one position to fourth place in the ranking.
FUT keep their title hopes alive
FUT will now face the winner of FURIA’s upcoming match in the Esports World Cup 2026 semifinals. The team has already guaranteed a top-four finish, but the next series will decide whether their run continues into the grand final.
For FUT, the result delivers more than a place in the semifinals. The team gained 83 VRS points, climbed from ninth to fifth place, and surpassed NAVI’s main roster. For four former NAVI Junior players, that ranking change adds further weight to an already important playoff victory.
MOUZ, meanwhile, finished their Esports World Cup 2026 campaign in fifth-eighth place and earned $60,000. The team also lost 12 VRS points and slipped from third to fourth in the ranking. Their tournament ended in the quarter-finals, while FUT remained in the fight for the Esports World Cup title.
