FUT Esports defeat Team Liquid and advance to Stage 2 of IEM Krakow 2026

FUT Esports secured a convincing victory over Team Liquid in the Stage 1 match at IEM Krakow 2026. FUT closed the series 2:0, showing a well-structured performance on both maps and booking their spot in Stage 2 of the tournament, while Liquid were eliminated.

Map veto:

1. FUT removed Inferno
2. Liquid removed Overpass
3. FUT picked Ancient
4. Liquid picked Nuke
5. FUT removed Anubis
6. Liquid removed Dust2
7. Mirage was left over

Ancient (13:4 FUT)

FUT looked confident from the very start on their map pick. Despite Liquid winning the opening rounds on the CT side, FUT imposed their attacking style and closed the first half with an 8:4 lead. After the side switch, Liquid completely lost control of the game, as FUT did not concede a single round on the CT side and secured a dominant 13:4 victory on Ancient.

Nuke (13:9 FUT)

FUT were just as solid on the second map of the series. On Nuke, they immediately set the pace on the CT side, controlling key areas and preventing Liquid from developing their attacks. Despite Liquid’s attempts to disrupt FUT’s rhythm and mount a comeback, FUT stayed composed, confidently closed out the map, and claimed a 13:9 win.

Match MVP

The MVP of the match was cmtry, who finished the decisive series with 99.5 ADR and a 1.53 rating.

This result marks a major breakthrough for FUT, as the team advance to Stage 2 of IEM Krakow 2026. Team Liquid struggled to find their form throughout the tournament, managing just one win against Ninjas in Pyjamas. Liquid finish the event in 9–12th place, earning $4,500 in prize money. IEM Krakow 2026 Stage 1 runs from January 28 to 30, with only 8 of the 16 teams progressing to the main stage.