Falcons vs. The MongolZ at EWC 2026:Two Champions,One Ticket to the Quarterfinals

The Major Champions Are Here — Can Anyone Stop Them?

It has been less than two months since Falcons lifted the IEM Cologne Major trophy, and the team has already arrived at the Esports World Cup with another title in sight. Falcons swept FURIA 3-0 in the Cologne grand final, securing their first Major championship and giving NiKo the Major title he had been chasing for years.

That victory changed the expectations around Falcons. They are no longer simply one of the teams capable of making a deep playoff run — they enter the EWC 2026 playoffs as the reigning Major champions and one of the tournament's biggest favorites.

So far, Falcons have done little to slow that momentum. They went 2-0 in Group B, defeating K27 and Astralis to secure their place in the playoffs without dropping a series.

Now, The MongolZ stand between Falcons and a place in the quarterfinals. On paper, the matchup favors Falcons. But with a best-of-three standing between the two teams and elimination on the line, their Major-winning form will face another serious test.

Beating The MongolZ would only be the first step. With Vitality and Spirit waiting on the same side of the bracket, Falcons face a difficult road to another title.

A Brutal Road to the EWC Trophy

The playoff draw has created a stacked side of the bracket, bringing Falcons, Vitality, Spirit, NAVI and FaZe into the same half. With only one team able to reach the grand final, the road through this side of the bracket could feature some of the tournament's biggest matchups.

The Defending Champions Are Still Alive

The MongolZ arrive at EWC 2026 as the defending champions after winning last year's tournament over Aurora. That alone makes them a team worth watching, but this year's lineup looks noticeably different from the one that lifted the trophy in 2025.

The team went through significant roster changes during the summer. Senzu and mzinho both departed, while tikuak and DarkMeister joined the active lineup in July. cobrazera was also benched at the same time, leaving bLitz, Techno and 910 as the experienced core of the current roster.

Despite the changes, The MongolZ have not lost their identity. bLitz, Techno and 910 remain at the heart of the team, while tikuak and DarkMeister bring a new dynamic to the lineup. Their EWC playoff run will be an early test of whether the rebuilt roster can reproduce the level of success that made The MongolZ champions last year.

For tikuak and DarkMeister, this is the kind of match where they will have to deliver. Facing the reigning Major champions in a single-elimination playoff leaves little room for a slow start, and both newcomers will be tested against some of the world's best. If The MongolZ want to defend their EWC title, their new additions will need to step up when it matters most.