Double-elimination tournaments leave no room for mistakes in the later stages. There is no safety net here: either a team stays alive in the tournament, or their season at this event comes to an end. These are exactly the matches that eliminate those who cannot withstand the pressure of decisive rounds.
Tournament context
IEM Kraków 2026 is a ranking LAN tournament of the Intel Extreme Masters series that directly impacts the Valve Regional Standings (VRS). Sixteen teams compete in a double-elimination Bo3 format. At the lower bracket stage, every loss means immediate elimination from the tournament.
The lower semi-finals became the elimination point: only the winners kept a chance to fight for the playoffs, while defeat meant the end of the event run.
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How the match unfolded — Astralis vs FUT
Series score: 2:1 in favor of Astralis
- Mirage (FUT pick) — 13:7
FUT confidently converted their map pick, imposing an aggressive tempo and regularly winning opening duels. Astralis failed to impose their own game and dropped the map without real control over the economy. - Overpass (Astralis pick) — 13:11
On their own pick, Astralis managed to level the series. The key factors were more stable defense and better clutch execution in mid-round situations, which allowed them to avoid a decisive collapse. - Nuke (decider) — 13:2
On the deciding map, Astralis completely dominated. The Danish squad broke the opponent’s economy early, controlled the tempo, and never allowed FUT to get into the game. The series ended without any intrigue.
Player of the Match — Love “phzy” Smidebrant (Astralis)
- K–D: 48–35
- ADR: 86.5
- Rating 3.0: 1.34
Key impact: consistency throughout the entire series, confident aim, and a decisive role in closing out Nuke.
How the match unfolded — FURIA vs Natus Vincere
Series score: 2:1 in favor of FURIA
- Mirage (Natus Vincere pick) — 7:13
NaVi started the series well, converting their pick through aggressive executions and strong coordination on the attack. - Inferno (FURIA pick) — 13:9
FURIA responded with disciplined play, better control of mid-round situations, and gradually seized the initiative without allowing NaVi to dictate the pace. - Dust2 (decider) — 13:6
On the deciding map, the Brazilian squad completely outplayed their opponent. Fast decisions, won duels, and control of key areas closed the series with no chance of a comeback.
Player of the Match — Mareks “YEKINDAR” Gaļinskis (FURIA)
- K–D: 51–38
- ADR: 96.2
- Rating 3.0: 1.37
Key impact: aggressive playstyle, constant pressure on the opponent’s defense, and a decisive contribution to the victory on Dust2.
VRS results
- Astralis — +46 pt → 1667 pt. A significant rating boost and preserved chances to reach the playoffs.
- FURIA — +27 pt → 1943 pt. Strengthened position in the global top-5 of the VRS and confident progress through the tournament.
- FUT — –11 pt → 1605 pt. Defeat and elimination from IEM Kraków 2026.
- Natus Vincere — –7 pt → 1817 pt. Loss of rating points and elimination from the tournament at the lower bracket stage.
What’s next?
Lower final:
Astralis vs FURIA — a match for the last playoff slot at IEM Kraków 2026.
Eliminated from the tournament:
FUT and Natus Vincere end their run at the event. Their further fight for VRS points moves to upcoming tournaments.
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Match summary
Astralis and FURIA withstood the pressure of elimination matches and rightfully continued their tournament run. Both teams managed to adapt over the course of their series and confidently won the decisive maps.
Up ahead is the lower final, where only one team will earn the chance to fight for the playoffs. For the other, IEM Kraków 2026 will end just one step short of the decisive stage.
