Team Falcons eliminated as Vici Gaming storm into EWC 2026 semifinals

Vici Gaming swept Team Falcons 2-0, eliminating the TI champions and booking their place in the semifinals after one of the strongest runs of the event.

Team Falcons entered the Esports World Cup playoffs looking to be championship contenders. Despite an inconsistent season overall, Falcons had rediscovered their form in Paris, finishing the group stage with an impressive 9-1 record to secure a direct quarterfinal berth. Their reward was a Vici Gaming roster that had quietly built momentum throughout the tournament after navigating both the group stage and Survival Phase.

By the end of the series, it was Vici Gaming who looked like the fresher, more confident side.

Vici strike first

Game 1 Team Falcons' final pick of Tiny looked poised to give them the teamfight control they wanted, but it was Vici Gaming's last-pick Spectre that dictated the pace of the game. From the opening minutes, Vici appeared to have a read on everything Falcons wanted to accomplish.

Falcons tried to stay on course, but better strategic execution and cleaner map movements allowed Vici to steadily pull away to secure the opening match.

Falcons never recover

If Game 1 hinted that Vici Gaming had found another level, Game 2 removed any doubt. The Chinese side unveiled a last-pick mid Slark, a pocket strategy they had successfully employed earlier this season, and immediately put Falcons on the back foot. Although Falcons raced out to four kills in the opening nine minutes, the advantage disappeared almost as quickly as it arrived.

Vici's lineup came online with remarkable speed. By the 23-minute mark they were already threatening high ground with an 11,000 gold advantage, leaving Falcons with few answers. The pressure became overwhelming, and with the game spiraling completely out of control, Falcons called "GG" just 31 minutes in.

For Vici Gaming, the victory marks a remarkable turnaround.

The team attended only four Tier 1 events before Paris and failed to break into the upper half of the standings at any of them. Yet as the season approaches its biggest tournaments, Vici appear to be peaking at exactly the right time.

Falcons, meanwhile, become the latest tournament favorite to fall. After such a dominant group stage, their Esports World Cup campaign ends far earlier than many expected, while Vici Gaming march into the semifinals carrying momentum that few teams in the tournament can currently match.