Both **Fnatic** and **BC.GAME** were unable to secure a spot at **IEM Rio 2026**, having been knocked out prematurely during the global online qualification rounds.
The two organizations were defeated in crucial contests within the 16-participant closed qualifier event, scheduled between January 21st and 23rd, 2026.
Fnatic’s Unfavorable Outcome
After being knocked out in the initial stage of the **BLAST Bounty Season 1** online qualification, Fnatic quickly had a chance to recover in a separate top-tier qualifier. Nevertheless, the squad was decisively beaten in their inaugural upper bracket match against **KOLESIE**, a group that had progressed from the open qualification rounds.
A 13-9 loss on Ancient, succeeded by a 13-2 defeat on Inferno, relegated Fnatic to the lower bracket, setting them up against **GenOne**, another competitor from the open qualifiers.
GenOne’s strong defensive play ensured a 13-4 victory on Ancient, placing Fnatic at an immediate disadvantage. The ‘black and orange’ squad retaliated on Anubis, achieving a 13-8 triumph and forcing the best-of-three series to a decisive Dust II map.
An extra period was necessary to determine the winner on Dust II, ultimately seeing GenOne prevail with a 16-14 final score, clinching an unexpected 2-1 series win and thereby knocking Fnatic out of the competition.
This uninspiring performance follows the organization’s acquisition of **Pavle ‘Maden‘ Bošković** as their new entry fragger on January 9th.
BC.Game Fails to Advance
Following the acquisition of the **SAW** roster’s core members during the break, **BC.Game** aimed to leverage its new lineup for strong performances in elite competitions. Nevertheless, the team found themselves in the lower bracket after a loss to **Ursa**, another squad that had progressed from the open qualifiers.
To stay in contention for the qualifier, **BC.Game** competed against **Team Nemesis** in an extended best-of-three series, which was interrupted when **Valve** released an update bringing numerous modifications to Anubis.
**BC.Game** initially took the lead with a 13-6 victory on Nuke but struggled to maintain their advantage. **Team Nemesis** countered with a 13-9 win on Inferno, equalizing the series, and then concluded the contest with a 13-11 win on Ancient, thereby eliminating **Oleksandr ‘s1mple‘ Kostyliev’s** squad.
IEM Rio 2026 Final Qualification Stage
As two prominent teams are now out of contention, the **IEM Rio 2026** closed qualification rounds are still ongoing. Teams such as **Gentle Mates**, **9INE**, and **BetBoom Team** are still vying for one of the two coveted spots in the primary tournament, scheduled to be held in the Brazilian metropolis from April 13th to 19th.
Spectators can follow the matches live on **ESL’s Twitch** and **YouTube** platforms to discover which teams will advance to compete alongside the globe’s top contenders in Rio.
