Worlds 2026 Play-Ins Day 3 — MVK Esports eliminate FURIA and set up Karmine Corp rematch

Only one series was on the schedule for the third night of the Worlds 2026 Play-Ins, and it was a rematch. MVK Esports, beaten by Karmine Corp in the upper bracket final, faced FURIA, fresh from knocking out Cloud9. A place in Sunday's Qualifying Match was at stake, and the loser would go home.

Same rematch, same winner

FURIA arrived with momentum after eliminating Cloud9, and Pedro "Tatu" Seixas had promised a different outcome this time. It never came. MVK controlled the series structurally and mentally, with sharper early-game plans and far cleaner execution around objectives, while the fast and loose identity FURIA show in the CBLOL barely surfaced. The one exception was game three, when FURIA committed to a proactive composition around Twisted Fate, Rumble and Skarner and snowballed through the bot side. MVK shut that door in game four.

The difference came from the top half of the map. Ngô "Kratos" Đức Khánh punished Guilherme "Guigo" Araújo Ruiz with solo kills and side-lane pressure, and Lương "Gury" Hải Long's pathing left Tatu behind on camps while turning lane priority into dragons and tempo. A day after his MVP showing against Cloud9, Tatu could not set the rhythm, not even on a comfort Nasus against Vi. Behind them, Nguyễn "Harky" Văn Hữu and Nguyễn "SiuLoong" Hoàng Lam won several 2v2s despite a poor game from Harky on Ziggs, and Võ "Chika" Lê Nhân proved the more reliable mid laner in side lanes and map management despite a few catches.

FURIA's bot lane was their only real bright spot. When they won, it was because Andrey "Ayu" Saraiva and Gabriel "JoJo" Dzelme de Oliveira broke the lane open and Ayu carried fights with a large gold lead. Elsewhere, Guigo lost the leads he did get, and in one game a dive onto a Corki with an empty mana bar ended a possible comeback. Once the momentum turned, FURIA looked drained and forced bad fights instead of building plays.

The series confirmed what the opening night suggested. MVK are the more complete and disciplined team, with stronger laners and a jungler who reads tempo better. FURIA can still produce flashes, as Cloud9 found out, but not across a full best-of-five against a structured side. They leave Worlds 2026 in 18th place, with the win over C9 as their consolation.

What's next

MVK get a second shot at Karmine Corp, with the only Swiss Stage ticket from the Play-Ins on the line. They arrive with real momentum after three series that have shown a more aggressive and assertive version of the team. The problem is that KC already did to them what MVK just did to FURIA, only better. KC's lanes held comfortably in the upper bracket final, and their side-lane play and macro made MVK look inexperienced. We expect Karmine Corp to win 3-0.

The winner enters the Swiss Stage draw in Tier 4, which takes place right after the match. The loser's Worlds ends in Los Angeles.