BC.Game knock NiP out of IEM Krakow 2026 and advance to Stage 2

BC.Game secured a confident victory over Ninjas in Pyjamas in an elimination match and advanced to the next stage of IEM Krakow 2026. The series ended 2:0, with BC.Game making better use of their map picks, while the key factor was consistent team play and individual dominance from s1mple, who set the tone in the decisive rounds. For NiP, this loss marked the end of their run already in Stage 1.

Map veto:

1. BC.Game removed Mirage
2. Ninjas in Pyjamas removed Inferno
3. BC.Game picked Dust2
4. Ninjas in Pyjamas picked Nuke
5. BC.Game removed Anubis
6. Ninjas in Pyjamas removed Overpass
7. Ancient was left over

Dust2 (13:7 BC.Game)

BC.Game started their own map on the T side, but lacked confidence in several rounds, managing to secure only five rounds in the first half. The situation changed after the side switch, as NiP struggled to find success on the T side. Although they were often able to plant the bomb, BC.Game consistently won the retake situations and defused it. The map ended 13:7 in favor of BC.Game.

Nuke (13:9 BC.Game)

On Nuke, the teams played a much closer first half, which ended in a 6:6 tie. Both sides looked solid in key rounds and did not allow the opponent to build a significant advantage. After the side switch, however, BC.Game stepped up their T side, controlled the pace of the game, and regularly found successful entries onto the bombsites. The decisive role in the second half was played by s1mple, who delivered a dominant performance with a 1.6 rating and 108 ADR. Thanks to this edge, BC.Game closed the map 13:9 and confidently finished the series 2:0.

Match MVP

The best player of the match was s1mple, who ended the series with 93.9 ADR and a 1.42 rating.

BC.Game earn an important victory and move on to Stage 2. NiP were unable to impose their game and therefore finish their run at IEM Krakow 2026 Stage 1 in 9–12th place, taking home $4,500 in prize money. IEM Krakow 2026 Stage 1 runs from January 28 to January 30, with only 8 out of 16 teams advancing to the main stage.