Live on LAN at BLAST Studios in Attard, Malta, our crowning Thunderpick World Championship (TWC) 2026 event reached a thrilling conclusion on Oct. 18. Eight incredible Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) teams fought for glory, the coveted trophy, and their share of the $1 million prize pool.
The electrifying experience featured top-tier plays, breathtaking clutches, and notable upsets. Join us as we relive the best moments of TWC 2026 LAN Finals with our complete battle report, results, and favorite highlights.
Thunderpick World Championship 2026 Headlines
Falcons Top Group A, Aurora Survives
In the opening Group A match, Team Falcons faced underdogs Ninjas in Pyjamas. Despite the huge ranking gap, Ninjas in Pyjamas fought back from 4–8 down on their map pick, Ancient, to push the karrigan-led superteam into overtime.
Team Falcons regained control in overtime to win Ancient 16–13, with star AWPer m0NESY topping the scoreboard with his lightning-fast shots.
Ninjas in Pyjamas attempted to keep things competitive on Dust2. With heroics from Danish star stavn on the CT side, the scores were tied 4–4 early on Team Falcons’ map pick. To end the first half in style, Team Falcons blew past their opponents to take an 8–4 lead. Team Falcons closed out proceedings on Dust2 with a 13–6 win to seal a 2–0 series victory.
Team Falcons faced off against 9z Team in the Winners’ Match of Group A. After their excellent recent 13–1 win on Nuke against Aurora Gaming, 9z Team looked to recreate that magic against Team Falcons on the opening map.
On the CT side of Nuke, Team Falcons took charge with an 8–4 lead, backed by cool, calm, and collected plays from m0NESY, who delivered some great clutches. Despite a strong 2nd half, 9z Team couldn’t close the gap, and Team Falcons won 13–9.
9z Team took a powerful 9–3 lead on the CT side of Mirage. In the 2nd half, Team Falcons won five straight rounds before 9z Team stabilized and closed out the map 13–8, tying the series 1–1.
On the T side of Dust2, Team Falcons pulled ahead early, taking an 8–4 lead. While 9z Team mounted a comeback, karrigan’s men finished 13–9 to close out the series 2–1 and earn a spot in the Playoffs Stage of TWC 2026 LAN Finals.
The new-look Aurora Gaming fell 0–2 in their opening Group A match against 9z Team. However, IGL kyxsan, still acclimating to his new team, led the squad to a convincing 2–0 win over Ninjas in Pyjamas.
In the deciding match, they took revenge on 9z Team with a 2–0 win to secure a spot in the Playoffs Stage, finishing 2nd in Group A.
FURIA Prevails In Group B, BB Claims 2nd
FURIA opened their bid to defend their title against BB Team in Group B. However, things didn’t start as planned, with BB Team taking a convincing 8–4 lead on the T side of their map pick, Ancient.
In the 2nd half, FURIA took the pistol round, putting them in a strong position to mount a comeback.
With their backs against the wall, FURIA showed their LAN prowess, giving BB Team only two rounds. FURIA pulled off successful attack after attack, with KSCERATO leading the charge to complete the comeback and take Ancient 13–10.
BB Team took an early 8–4 lead on the CT side of FURIA’s map pick, Mirage, highlighted by rifler s1ren becoming a one-man army on the B site.
Playing from behind, FURIA barreled through their opponents on the CT side, winning seven straight rounds. BB Team managed only one round win on the T side before FURIA closed out the map 13–9 and the series 2–0.
Kazakhstani star AWPer molodoy didn’t give BB Team a chance to breathe, making beautiful defensive plays.
With a spot in the TWC 2026 Playoffs Stage on the line, FURIA faced Legacy in a thrilling Brazilian derby.
The action kicked off on Cache, FURIA’s map pick. After winning the first pistol round, FURIA couldn’t keep it going, and Legacy seized the opportunity to take an early 3–1 lead, which they extended to 7–5.
With momentum on their side, Legacy won the first three T rounds in the 2nd half. FURIA put up a fight, but Legacy secured a 13–10 win to take a 1–0 series lead.
FURIA took the reins on Legacy’s map pick, Inferno, with FalleN leading his team to an 8–4 CT 1st half despite losing the pistol round. Legacy won the 2nd pistol round as well, but FURIA immediately answered. They won the next five rounds in a row to tie the series 1–1 with a dominant 13–5 scoreline.
Starting on the T side of Mirage, FURIA finally got off to an excellent start, posting a 9–3 lead on the CT-sided map. Legacy pushed back, winning five straight rounds in the 2nd half.
While FURIA made a few blunders on the CT side, they locked it down in the final stretch to win 13–8 and complete the 2–1 series comeback.
For the first time this year, FURIA took down Legacy in the Brazilian derby, securing a spot in the Playoffs.
BB Team got smashed 0–2 by FURIA in their opening match in Group B. The all-Russian side stayed alive in the elimination match with an impressive 2-1 comeback against PARIVISION.
In the Group B decider, BB Team shocked Brazilian powerhouse Legacy with a 2–1 win in a super-close match that propelled them to the Playoffs Stage.
FURIA Sweeps Aurora Gaming in Semifinal
Our first Semifinal clash saw FURIA go head-to-head with the revitalized Aurora Gaming squad.
Aurora picked Dust2 as the opening map, starting on the slightly favored T side, and won the first three rounds in a row.
FURIA didn’t seem to care that Dust2 was Aurora’s map pick, as shown by their brilliant 9–3 CT side performance.
At the start of the 2nd half, Aurora won three straight rounds. However, FURIA didn’t give Aurora a real chance to come back, winning 13–8 to take a 1–0 lead in the Semifinals.
On the T side of their map pick, Inferno, FURIA came out swinging to take a commanding 8–4 lead, with veteran IGL FalleN pulling off a couple of important clutches like it was 2017.
In the 2nd half, Aurora pushed back as both teams traded blows. Aurora closed in on a potential comeback story, but FURIA was powered by the passionate fans in attendance.
FURIA finished off Inferno 13–10 to win the series 2–0. With the convincing victory, FURIA became the first team to reach the TWC 2026 Grand Final.
BB Stuns Falcons In Semifinal
Heading into the TWC 2026 LAN Finals, Team Falcons were the favorites to claim the trophy.
Team Falcons showcased their massive talent on BB’s map pick, Anubis. After losing the first two rounds, Team Falcons hit their stride to finish the T side 8–4.
BB Team couldn’t halt their opponent’s momentum in the 2nd half of Anubis. Team Falcons easily closed out the first map of the Semifinals, 13–5, to take a 1–0 series lead. Shoutout to karrigan for stepping up with 16 kills.
BB Team was the clear underdog. On stage in Malta, however, the odds didn’t seem to matter for BB Team, led by ex-NAVI captain Boombl4.
Dust2 was a thriller, with both teams winning their T sides 7–5. On the back of a huge B site clutch by d1Ledez, BB Team found match point first.
Team Falcons pushed them into a nail-biting overtime affair, but BB Team composed themselves to win three CT rounds and take the map 16–14, forcing a third map in the series.
Mirage served as the decider, with BB Team’s Magnojez stepping up to deliver high-impact multikills.
The teams were dead even in the 1st half at 6–6. Team Falcons won the 2nd-half pistol despite Magnojez pulling off a 4k with the dualies.
Team Falcons ran out of steam in the 14th round. BB Team pounced on the opportunity to close out the map, winning seven straight CT rounds to claim Mirage 13–7.
With the shocking 2–1 comeback win, BB Team secured a spot in the TWC 2026 Grand Final against FURIA.
Aurora Beats Falcons For 3rd
The action began on Aurora’s map pick, Anubis, where Team Falcons built a huge 9–3 lead on the T side and closed out the map with a convincing 13–8 win.
Aurora stepped up to the plate on a frantic Dust2, where both teams finished 8–4 on their CT sides, forcing overtime to decide the winner.
After two overtime sessions, Aurora clawed their way to a 19–17 win, forcing a third map in the series.
The 1st half of Nuke was a back-and-forth affair, with Team Falcons claiming a narrow 7–5 lead. In the 2nd half, Aurora took charge, putting on a masterclass defense to close out the map 13–9.
With the win, Aurora claimed 3rd at TWC 2026, while the superteam settled for 4th.
An Electrifying Grand Final: FURIA vs. BB
Defending champions FURIA made their presence felt right from the start of the best-of-five Grand Final.
KSCERATO led the charge, clicking heads to help FURIA build an 8–4 lead on the T side of Dust2.
BB Team found the pistol in the 2nd half but failed to convert, giving FURIA the chance to win the map 13–6 and take a 1–0 series lead.
BB Team’s map pick, Ancient, turned into a nerve-racking slugfest, with FURIA pulling ahead 4–0.
BB Team mounted a comeback in the final stretch of the 1st half, and won the first four rounds in the 2nd half.
Both teams won their CT sides 7–5 for a 12–12 scoreline, forcing overtime. After a double-overtime affair, BB Team won 19–16 to tie the series 1–1.
On the T side of their map pick, Nuke, FURIA won the pistol. A BB Team forcebuy paid off as they won the 2nd round.
Boombl4’s brilliant, risky forcebuy call gave his team a huge early economic advantage, as they went on a five-round win streak and ended the 1st half on the CT side with an 8–4 lead.
BB Team had momentum and took full advantage at the start of the 2nd half, winning the first four rounds in a row to reach map point early, 12–4.
FURIA didn’t go down without a fight, posting a five-round win streak before BB Team closed out the map 13–9.
Heading into BB Team’s 2nd map pick, Mirage, FURIA had to come back to stay alive—and they delivered.
FalleN led his team to a massive 10–2 CT side, with one of our favorite highlights being yuurih’s excellent spraydown on the defense to keep the streak going.
In the 2nd half, FURIA won the pistol. BB Team instantly responded to stop the conversion and went on a massive nine-round streak.
FURIA stopped the bleeding in the final two regulation rounds to narrowly win Mirage 13–11, avoid overtime, and tie the series 2–2.
It all came down to Cache, where FURIA’s big-match temperament shone through. FURIA took charge on the T side, posting a strong 8–4 lead and putting BB Team under immense pressure.
A chaotic 2nd half favored FURIA, as they finished off BB Team with a 13–6 win on Cache.
Just like in 2025, FURIA completed the comeback in spectacular fashion to win the Grand Final 3–2.
FURIA Roster & Grand Final MVP
FURIA pushed themselves to the limit on the server, delivering a world-class performance to defend their title. Yes, FURIA is our first-ever back-to-back champion, having previously won TWC 2025 after a historic reverse-sweep comeback against NAVI.
It’s been over 10 months since FURIA last lifted a trophy. We shared the joy and celebrations with the incredible squad, led by Brazilian superstar FalleN, who retires at the end of the year.
TWC 2026 was one of the few remaining chances for “The Professor” to claim gold, making the Grand Final comeback incredibly special.
FURIA roster:
- Kaike “KSCERATO” Cerato
- Mareks “YEKINDAR” Gaļinskis
- Yuri “yuurih” Boian
- Danil “molodoy” Golubenko
- Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo (IGL)
- Sidnei “sidde” Macedo (Coach)
While the grueling five-map final tested everyone on the server (where he posted a steady 1.13 rating and 81.1 ADR), KSCERATO dominated the tournament overall with a massive 1.34 event rating to secure the second HLTV MVP medal of his career.
TWC 2026 LAN Finals Standings
Here are the final standings and prize pool distribution for the TWC 2026 LAN Finals, showcasing exactly how much each team won.
| Place | Team(s) | Player Share | Club Share | Total Prize |
| 1st | FURIA | $250,000 | $250,000 | $500,000 |
| 2nd | BB Team | $125,000 | $125,000 | $250,000 |
| 3rd | Aurora Gaming | $50,000 | $50,000 | $100,000 |
| 4th | Team Falcons | $25,000 | $25,000 | $50,000 |
| 5th–6th | Legacy & 9z Team | $15,000 | $15,000 | $30,000 each ($60,000) |
| 7th–8th | PARIVISION & Ninjas in Pyjamas | $10,000 | $10,000 | $20,000 each ($40,000) |
| Total | $500,000 | $500,000 | $1,000,000 |
See You Next Year For TWC 2027!
The dust is settling over this year’s TWC, which featured brilliant matches, world-class production, and the best talent in the business. Thank you to all the fans who watched the non-stop drama that was TWC 2026, and join us on the hype train for next year!
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