magic Defeat 9z and Advance to EWC 2026 Playoffs

magic secured a place in the Esports World Cup 2026 playoffs for Counter-Strike 2 after defeating 9z 2:1 in the decisive Group D lower-bracket match. The South American team has been eliminated from the tournament.

The series began on Ancient and was extremely tense from the start. Neither team was able to build a serious lead for a long time. In the final stages, magic moved ahead 12:8, but 9z won four rounds in a row and forced overtime. The extra rounds were just as close, but magic eventually managed to close out the map 19:17. Andrey “AW” Anisimov and Nikita “tenzy” Kochenyuk made important contributions to the win.

On Dust2, 9z controlled most of the game. The South American side led 7:5 after the first half and then strengthened their advantage on the CT side. magic tried to mount a comeback, but Ignacio “meyern” Meyer stopped them with several important kills. The map ended 13:10 in favor of 9z.

The decider was Inferno. magic had a strong first half and went into the break with a 9:3 lead. After the side switch, 9z managed to bring the score back level, but the final rounds went magic’s way. magic won the map 13:10 and closed the series.

NAVI, FURIA, Spirit and Aurora Advance to EWC 2026 Playoffs

The victory continues magic’s successful season after a top-four finish at PGL Astana and second place at Stake Ranked. The team now moves on to the EWC 2026 playoffs, while 9z exits the championship after the group stage.