On the first day of the VCT 2026 Stage 1 playoffs for the Americas region, LEVIATÁN LEVIATÁN North America Rank #4 spike Rodrigo Lombardi blowz Guilherme Oliviera Neon Bruno Rodríguez Sato Eduardo Kenzo Nagahama Sato kiNgg Francisco Aravena and G2 moved on to the upper bracket semifinals, while both FURIA FURIA Brazil Rank #8 nerve Michael Yerrow artzin Arthur Araujo eeiu Daniel Vucenovic koalanoob Gianfranco Potestio alym Torogul Baidyldaev and 100T were sent down to the lower bracket.

LEVIATÁN comfortably reverse sweep FURIA

Starting the playoffs was the first match of the upper bracket between FURIA and LEV. The series began on Breeze, with both teams running Harbor comps. LEV opted to run double-Duelist with the Controller and earned the first pistol on the defense side. FURIA prevented the bonus round win to keep the half close, and artzin showed off his skills on KAY/O to give FURIA some breathing room.

That eventually forced a timeout from LEV, and while the end still ended in FURIA's favor up 7-5, LEV finally bounced back off a nice 1v2 defuse from Neon on the final round.

FURIA won the second pistol round to extend the lead, but LEV kept a comeback within reach by preventing the bonus round conversion. This half was similar to those seven round wins on attack, as FURIA dominated the gun rounds to close out map one 13-8.

Split was next, with FURIA choosing a solo-Duelist comp with Vyse, as LEV ran double-Duelist with Phoenix and Neon. FURIA began on defense and continued the form from the previous map, securing the first pistol. Another tense bonus round went the way of LEV, but artzin continued to outplay LEV, putting FURIA in another early lead. However, this time, spike styled out on Neon to tie the map at 4-4 and take his team to a lead for the first time since the opening pistol round on Breeze. The pace change from LEV was impressive, showing both set strategies and fast rounds to confuse the defense from FURIA and end the first half up 8-4.

A quick flood from kiNgg earned LEV the second pistol, confirming double-digit rounds quickly into the second half. FURIA seemed to have prevented a fast map two with a bonus round win, but LEV stomped any comeback hopes to complete the map 13-5, tying the series and taking it to map three. Map two was a masterclass performance from kiNgg on Viper, which was the opposite for his Viper counterpart nerve , who ended the map with a 1/18/4 statline.

The decider was Pearl, with both teams running similar double-Duelist comps with Phoenix and Neon, but with different agents around them. LEV managed to convert a clean retake to win the first pistol, and FURIA forced round two only to lose that as well. LEV took that shot at momentum and ran away with it. The map nearly reached 13-0 territory, until FURIA won a thrifty to stop the run at 8-1. Even then, LEV reached the half up 11-1.

The second half of Pearl was a formality, with LEV only needing two round wins to continue in the upper bracket. Soon after the half, LEV won Pearl 13-1 and the series 2-1.

There could only be one star from this series, and it was kiNgg. He was utterly dominant in the final two maps, leading his team to two map wins with only six total round losses after a mediocre map one. Ending the series with a 1.59 match rating, 54 kills, 83% KAST, and a perfect six first kills to zero first deaths, kiNgg led his team to the second round of the upper bracket.

With this win, LEV will face MIBR MIBR Brazil Rank #2 zekken Zachary Patrone tex Ian Botsch Mazino Roberto Rivas Verno Andrew Maust aspas Erick Santos in the upper bracket semifinals for a chance at automatic qualification to Masters London. As for FURIA, the team continues in the lower bracket and will face NRG NRG North America Rank #2 keiko Georgio Sanassy brawk Brock Somerhalder mada Adam Pampuch skuba Logan Jenkins Ethan Ethan Arnold .

G2 wins fifth straight series over 100 Thieves

The second match of the day was between G2 Esports and 100 Thieves, two teams with plenty of experience against one another regionally. The series began on Pearl, with both teams running double-Duelist with Phoenix and Neon, with the only difference being the choice of Sentinel. 100T won the first pistol with a fast B take, but G2 prevented the bonus win, and leaf quickly showed off how he can still play amazingly on Duelist.

That round stopped 100T from running away with the half, instead turning the start into a closer affair. Some star rounds from jawgemo brought G2 up to six rounds, though 100T did manage to take a couple of rounds to keep the game in reach. G2 reached the half up 8-4, looking comfortable on the defense.

100T looked to be in prime position on the retake to win the pistol, but G2 converted a 3v5 post-plant to jump ahead to a 10-4 lead. Add a bonus conversion for G2 in the mix, and the map was over. G2 claimed its opponents' map pick, winning Pearl 13-4 and taking the series lead.

Lotus was next, with G2 sticking to its solo Raze comp while 100T ran double-Duelist with Neon and Raze. G2 earned the first pistol with a 1v1 duel won by valyn, though the team was unable to convert the bonus. BABYBAY shot down four to keep G2 ahead early on Lotus, as the team rolled up to a 5-1 lead. 100T took a timeout to try and improve on the attack, only managing to get that elusive second round down 7-2. All G2 players had immense confidence, entering the half up 8-4 after both timeouts were used from 100T.

To start the second half, 100T finally ended up on the positive side of a clutch as Timotino shot two down in a 1v2 to win the pistol. G2 still prevented the bonus round win to go up 9-6, but the map score only had a three-round difference despite how G2 started. The map was within reach for 100T, but leaf ended the series as he started it. G2 closed out Lotus 13-7 and swept the series 2-0.

The star of the series was valyn , who both called an amazing series and shot his way to the top of the leaderboard. He ended the series with a 1.39 match rating, 36 kills, and 244 ACS.

With this win, G2 will face KRÜ Esports KRÜ Esports Latin America South Rank #3 saadhak Matias Delipetro mwzera Leonardo Serrati silentzz Caio Morita Less Felipe de Loyola Basso Dantedeu5 Jesús Federico Larrosa in the upper bracket semifinals with a chance to make the upper finals and automatically secure a spot at Masters London. As for 100T, the team will face LOUD LOUD Brazil Rank #5 lukxo Lucca Travaioli Darker Sebastián Castro Cicuamia Virtyy Leandro Moreno erde Roberto Lobos cauanzin Cauan Pereira in the first round of the lower bracket.