BC.Game and NRG are among the latest wave of teams eliminated from IEM Kraków 2026 as the Group Stage reaches its climax.
Oleksandr ‘s1mple‘ Kostyliev’s return to the IEM stage came to an end in the lower bracket quarter-finals with a defeat to FaZe Clan, while NRG lost to Team Falcons.
BC.Game Struggles On Big Stage
Despite making its way past Legacy and Ninjas in Pyjamas in the Play-In, the lack of Tier 1 experience for BC.Game was evident as it was swept aside by Team Vitality in the upper bracket. A lower bracket clash against FaZe Clan would determine which team would earn a last chance at making it to the TAURON Arena.
FaZe Clan struck first on Dust II with a superior offensive strategy and mid-round calling, securing a 13-8 win and an early series lead. BC.Game bounced back on FaZe Clan’s pick of Nuke, with s1mple excelling with a rifle in hand to level the best-of-three with a 13-6 scoreline.
Ancient, however, was a one-sided contest, with FaZe Clan’s superior defence holding off any kind of BC.Game attack. A 13-3 win for the Red Militia sealed a 2-1 series victory, knocking BC.Game out of the tournament.
A Defiant NRG Fall To Team Falcons
NRG hoped to build on a solid showing at the Budapest Major with another strong performance in Kraków. An early defeat to MOUZ in Group B sent the team into the lower bracket alongside a Team Falcons side looking to bounce back after a defeat to Aurora Gaming.
Team Falcons began the best-of-three on the front foot with a clinical defensive display, earning a 13-5 scoreline along with the early lead. Still, the North Americans weren’t done yet, showcasing a confident defence on Ancient to build a 10-2 lead at half-time. Team Falcons reduced the deficit, but NRG emerged with a 13-11 win to force a Dust II decider.
NRG’s defence held strong once again, ending the first half with a two-round advantage and putting the team on the brink of handing Team Falcons another high-profile elimination. Nevertheless, a lack of offensive strength saw Team Falcons take the lead and the map 13-9 thanks to another impressive display from Ilya ‘m0NESY‘ Osipov.
What’s Next?
For FaZe Clan and Team Falcons, the run through the lower bracket of Group B continues. Team Falcons takes on 3DMAX, while FaZe Clan faces off against MOUZ for a place in the lower bracket final.
Taking place on February 3rd at 1 PM BST, fans can tune into both best-of-threes across ESL’s Twitch and YouTube channels.
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