The Rocket League Esports World Cup 2026 has reached its final day in Paris, with Karmine Corp, Team Falcons, Spacestation Gaming and Ninjas in Pyjamas eStar still competing for the trophy.
All four teams survived regional quarterfinal clashes on August 15. Karmine Corp eliminated Team Vitality in a seven-game French showdown, Falcons defeated Twisted Minds, NiP removed Gentle Mates and Spacestation completed a dramatic comeback against Shopify Rebellion.
The semifinals now decide which two teams will compete for the $400,000 first-place prize and 1,000 Esports World Cup Club Championship points.
Karmine Corp survive seven-game battle with Vitality
The most dramatic quarterfinal came between Karmine Corp and Team Vitality.
KC entered the match as defending EWC champions but had already experienced an inconsistent tournament. After losing 0-3 to Spacestation in the group stage, the French roster needed seven games against R8 Esports simply to reach the playoffs.
Vitality had taken a much cleaner route.
Their quarterfinal nevertheless turned into another full seven-game battle.
Karmine Corp eventually won 4-3, eliminating one of their biggest domestic rivals and keeping their title defense alive.
The quarterfinal produced several major developments:
- Karmine Corp eliminated Vitality 4-3
- KC reached Championship Sunday despite losing a group-stage series
- The defending champions now face Team Falcons in the semifinal
The final game was particularly decisive, with Karmine Corp producing a 6-0 victory to end Vitality’s tournament.
Karmine Corp are now only two series victories away from successfully defending their Esports World Cup Rocket League title.
Falcons overcome another regional rival
Team Falcons also had to defeat familiar opposition to reach the semifinals.
Their quarterfinal opponent was Twisted Minds, a roster featuring former Falcons player Rw9.
Falcons won the best-of-seven 4-2.
The Saudi organization has already navigated several difficult matchups during the tournament. It defeated R8 Esports during the group stage before surviving a 3-2 series against Gentle Mates to qualify directly for the playoffs.
| Semifinal | Teams |
|---|---|
| Semifinal 1 | Spacestation vs NiP eStar |
| Semifinal 2 | Karmine Corp vs Team Falcons |
Falcons now face another major test against Karmine Corp.
The matchup guarantees that either the defending champion or one of MENA’s strongest Rocket League organizations will compete in the grand final.
Spacestation complete comeback against Shopify
Spacestation Gaming’s quarterfinal was anything but straightforward.
SSG took the opening game against Shopify Rebellion but then lost three consecutive games. Shopify moved into a 3-1 series lead and needed only one more victory to eliminate its North American rival.
Spacestation responded by winning the final three games.
The comeback completed a 4-3 series victory and continued an impressive EWC run that already included a 3-0 group-stage sweep against Karmine Corp.
SSG’s path to Championship Sunday includes:
- A close 3-2 opening victory against MIBR.LOS
- A 3-0 sweep of Karmine Corp
- A 4-3 comeback against Shopify Rebellion
That resilience makes Spacestation one of the more difficult teams to evaluate entering the semifinals.
The roster has demonstrated both dominant potential and the ability to recover when a series appears close to being lost.
NiP eStar continue strong tournament run
Ninjas in Pyjamas eStar have taken a more consistent route.
NiP defeated Shopify Rebellion and Twisted Minds during the group stage to qualify through the upper side of Group A.
The quarterfinal placed them against Gentle Mates, winners of the Boston Major.
NiP won the series 4-2.
That result moved the team into the top four and gave it a semifinal against Spacestation Gaming.
Compared with some of the other remaining organizations, NiP entered the EWC without the same level of championship expectations. Reaching the semifinals has therefore already established the event as one of their strongest results of the season.
$400,000 awaits the champion
The Rocket League competition carries a $1 million prize pool.
The champion receives $400,000 and 1,000 Club Championship points, while the runner-up earns $180,000 and 750 points.
The two semifinal losers still have another match.
They will meet in a best-of-five third-place series, with the winner receiving $100,000 and additional Club Championship points. The grand final remains a best-of-seven.
For organizations competing across multiple Esports World Cup titles, those points can be almost as important as the individual Rocket League prize.
Assessment
Championship Sunday features four teams with very different routes to the semifinals.
Karmine Corp have survived multiple seven-game series and remain capable of defending their title despite an inconsistent group stage. Falcons have continued overcoming difficult regional and international opponents, while Spacestation have shown they can both dominate elite teams and recover from severe deficits.
NiP may be the least obvious favorite, but their results have been consistently strong throughout the tournament.
The single-elimination format leaves no room for correction now.
Two semifinal victories will determine the grand finalists, and by the end of August 16, one team will leave Paris with $400,000 and the Rocket League Esports World Cup 2026 trophy.
