Karmine Corp and MVK Meet for the Last Worlds 2026 Swiss Spot
GAME MODE Staff·Oct 18, 2026· 2m read
Cloud9 and FURIA are out after three days in Los Angeles. Sunday’s winner joins 15 teams in Allen, Texas, when the Swiss Stage opens October 23.
One series decides the last Swiss Stage spot at Worlds 2026. Karmine Corp and MVK Esports meet in a best-of-five Play-In final in Los Angeles on Sunday, October 18, at 11 AM PDT (2 PM EDT), and only the winner moves on.
How the Play-In bracket played out
The four-team, double-elimination bracket opened on October 15, and three days of play knocked out Cloud9 and FURIA.
| Date | Series | Result |
|---|---|---|
| October 15 | Karmine Corp (LEC) vs. Cloud9 | KC wins 3-2 |
| October 15 | MVK (LCP) vs. FURIA (Brazil) | MVK sweeps 3-0 |
| October 16 | KC vs. MVK, upper bracket final | KC wins 3-0 |
| October 16 | FURIA vs. Cloud9 | FURIA wins 3-1, Cloud9 out |
| October 17 | MVK vs. FURIA | MVK wins 3-1, FURIA out |
That makes Sunday a rematch, and KC won the first meeting 3-0.
What the winner walks into in Allen, Texas
The Swiss Stage runs from October 23 to 31 in Allen, Texas, with the first match at 12 PM CDT (1 PM EDT) on October 23. Sixteen teams play up to five rounds of best-of-one and best-of-three matches. Three wins send a team to the Knockout Stage, and three losses end its tournament.
The Round 1 draw takes place after the Play-In final. The Play-In winner sits in the fourth draw tier, so it will face one of the top-tier teams: Gen.G, Anyone’s Legend, Team Liquid Alienware or G2 Esports. Teams from the same region can’t meet in Round 1, so a KC win would rule out G2.
Pick’Ems and the road to Brooklyn
The Knockout Stage follows in Allen and Brooklyn.
- October 18: Swiss Stage Pick’Ems open.
- October 23: Pick’Ems lock before the first Swiss match.
- November 3–6: Quarterfinals.
- November 7–8: Semifinals.
- Saturday, November 14: The final, at 2 PM EST in Brooklyn, New York.
