SINNERS and Sashi are among the latest teams to reach the playoffs of the Esports World Cup 2026 Counter-Strike 2 Open Qualifier in Paris.
Eight more teams secured their places in the 32-team knockout bracket during the penultimate round of group-stage deciders. Alongside SINNERS and Sashi, Prestige, OG, Eternal Fire, Acend, Phantom and JiJieHao all survived their final group matches.
The biggest casualty was Metizport, who suffered a 1-2 defeat to Prestige and were eliminated from the competition before reaching the single-elimination stage.
Prestige Eliminate Metizport in Three Maps
Prestige produced the most significant upset of the round by defeating Metizport in a three-map series.
The series started on Ancient, where Prestige edged out a narrow 13-11 victory. Metizport responded strongly on Inferno with a 13-5 win, but Prestige recovered on the deciding map.
A 13-7 victory on Nuke completed the upset and sent Prestige into the playoffs while ending Metizport’s EWC qualification attempt.
The final map scores were:
- Ancient: Prestige 13-11 Metizport
- Inferno: Metizport 13-5 Prestige
- Nuke: Prestige 13-7 Metizport
- Series: Prestige 2-1 Metizport
Metizport entered the round as the biggest name at risk, but Prestige turned a close series into one of the qualifier’s most notable eliminations.
SINNERS Recover From 13-0 Defeat
SINNERS had their own problems earlier in the group stage.
The Czech organisation suffered a brutal 13-0 loss to K27 in the winners match, putting the team under considerable pressure heading into the decider.
They responded exactly as required.
SINNERS defeated Dark Tigre 2-0 to secure progression and avoid an early exit. The result showed the value of the group-stage double-elimination format, which gave the team an opportunity to reset after one of the heaviest possible map defeats.
| Team | Decider outcome |
|---|---|
| SINNERS | Advanced |
| Sashi | Advanced |
| Prestige | Advanced |
| OG | Advanced |
| Eternal Fire | Advanced |
| Acend | Advanced |
| Phantom | Advanced |
| JiJieHao | Advanced |
For SINNERS, reaching the playoffs keeps alive their chance of claiming one of only four available places at the Esports World Cup main event.
Sashi Continue Their Paris Run
Sashi also secured qualification from their group and moved into the knockout stage.
The Danish lineup features acoR, Cabbi, Zyphon, Anlelele and MistR, with HUNDEN coaching the roster. The team entered the qualifier as one of several established European Tier 2 organisations capable of challenging more recognizable names.
Their progression adds another dangerous team to a playoff field already containing major organisations and experienced international players.
For teams such as Sashi, the EWC Open Qualifier offers a particularly valuable opportunity. A strong three-series run in the knockout bracket can turn a qualifier appearance into a place at one of the largest Counter-Strike events of the year.
Eternal Fire Avoid Another Early Disaster
Eternal Fire also survived the group stage despite suffering one of the biggest shocks of the opening day.
The newly formed lineup had previously lost 1-2 to NADE after winning the opening map 13-5. That result pushed Eternal Fire onto a more difficult path through the group.
The team nevertheless recovered and secured a playoff position through the decider round.
Their survival means the roster remains in contention despite an inconsistent start in Paris.
Eternal Fire’s progression was joined by several other notable results:
- OG moved through after defeating Vael
- JiJieHao beat Sangal in a close series
- Phantom secured a playoff position
- Acend also survived its deciding match
The eight advancing teams joined the group winners already waiting in the knockout bracket.
Single Elimination Raises the Pressure
The group phase offered one important safety net: teams could lose one series and still recover.
That protection disappears completely in the playoffs.
The qualifier reduces its original 64-team field to 32 competitors before switching to single elimination. From that point, every best-of-three determines whether a team stays in contention or leaves Paris.
Only four teams will eventually qualify for the Esports World Cup main event.
That creates a demanding route even for established organisations. SINNERS, Sashi, OG and Eternal Fire may have survived the groups, but they now need multiple consecutive victories without a second chance.
Metizport Become a Major Early Casualty
Metizport’s elimination demonstrates how punishing the qualifier can be.
The roster includes experienced players such as stanislaw, Plopski, F1KU and forsyy, but that experience was not enough to overcome Prestige in the decisive series.
Open LAN qualifiers create unusual matchup dynamics because favourites often face teams they rarely encounter in top-level tournaments.
Preparation material can be limited, styles can be unpredictable and one strong best-of-three can completely change a team’s season.
Prestige took advantage of exactly that opportunity.
Assessment
The penultimate round of EWC group deciders delivered both recovery stories and one significant upset.
SINNERS responded impressively after their 13-0 defeat, Eternal Fire survived an earlier shock loss and Sashi continued a solid tournament run. Prestige, however, produced the standout result by sending Metizport home.
The playoffs now remove every remaining margin for error.
For SINNERS and Sashi, advancing represents an important first achievement, but the real challenge is still ahead. They must survive a single-elimination bracket filled with established organisations if they want to convert their Paris run into an Esports World Cup appearance.
Metizport’s exit already proves that reputation offers little protection in this format. With only four qualification spots available, several more recognizable teams will inevitably follow them out of the tournament.
