G2 have secured a place in the Esports World Cup 2026 playoffs after beating BIG 2-1 in the Group A upper-bracket semi-final. BIG will now face Spirit in the lower bracket, where the final playoff spot will be at stake.
G2 Win Cache, BIG Answer on Ancient
The best-of-three opened on Cache, where G2 claimed a 13-5 victory. G2 led 7-5 at halftime and then swept BIG 6-0 in the second half to take the opening map.
BIG responded on Ancient and leveled the series with a 16-13 victory. The teams were tied after regulation, as both sides won 12 rounds, before BIG won overtime 4-1.
Inferno decided the playoff qualifier. G2 produced a one-sided display, taking an 11-1 lead before halftime and closing the map 13-1.
NertZ Earns Match MVP
Guy “NertZ” Iluz was the highest-rated player of the match and took the MVP distinction. The G2 player posted a 1.42 Rating across three maps, with 57 kills, 94.6 ADR and an 82.0% KAST rating.
Nikita “HeavyGod” Martynenko and Nemanja “huNter-” Kovač both finished with a 1.27 rating. For BIG, Johannes “tabseN” Wodarz led the team with a 1.13 rating, but his performance was not enough to prevent defeat.
VRS Impact After the Series
G2 received 41 VRS points for the victory. The team moved from 1,717 points and 11th place to ninth place, gaining two positions in the VRS ranking.
BIG lost 11 VRS points after the defeat. The team entered the match in 16th place with 1,651 points.
BIG Face Spirit for Final Slot
G2 have booked their EWC 2026 playoff place after winning two of the three maps. Their Cache and Inferno victories showed a high level of control, especially in the decisive map.
BIG remain in the tournament, but their route has become more difficult. They must now beat Spirit in the lower bracket to secure the remaining Group A playoff berth.
