MVK Esports beat FURIA 3-1 again at Worlds 2026 Play-In to earn Karmine Corp rematch for Swiss Stage spot

Vietnam's MVK Esports are one win away from the main event of the 2026 League of Legends World Championship after beating FURIA 3-1 in the Play-In lower bracket final in Los Angeles on Saturday, 17 October (US time). It was MVK's second win over the Brazilian side in three days and sets up a rematch with Karmine Corp, the team that swept them in the upper final, with the last Swiss Stage place on the line. This follows on from the earlier report of Karmine Corp's 3-0 win over MVK and FURIA's elimination of Cloud9.

MVK take control early

MVK picked up where they left off in their opening-day 3-0 sweep of FURIA. They won game one in 31 minutes and game two in 27 minutes, controlling the map from the early stages and giving FURIA few chances to fight back.

FURIA, who arrived in Los Angeles only days after losing the CBLOL final to LOS, refused to go quietly. They took game three in 36 minutes, with Ayu stepping up to stop MVK building their usual early lead and force a fourth game.

Gury closes it out

MVK's response in game four was decisive. Jungler Gury, playing Wukong, was central to the win, setting up fights and dictating the pace across the map as MVK finished the game in 28 minutes to seal the series.

Mid laner Chika told Sheep Esports that FURIA's decision-making after losing an advantage was their main weakness, and MVK punished those moments throughout the series. The win means FURIA are out of Worlds 2026, leaving LOS as Brazil's only representative in the Swiss Stage.

One more step: Karmine Corp

The Play-In uses a double-elimination bracket of best-of-five series, and only one team goes through to the Swiss Stage. That ticket will be decided in the Play-In final between Karmine Corp and MVK, scheduled for Sunday, 18 October in Los Angeles, which is 2am Malaysia time on Monday, 19 October.

Karmine Corp beat MVK 3-0 earlier in the week, so MVK will need a big improvement to turn the result around. The European side had to dig deep to reach that point, coming from 2-0 down to beat Cloud9 in their opening series.

What is at stake

The winner joins 15 teams already waiting in the Swiss Stage, which begins on 23 October at the Credit Union of Texas Event Center in Allen, Texas. That group includes MVK's LCP rivals Team Secret Whales and CTBC Flying Oyster, so a win would give the Asia-Pacific league three teams in the main event.

For Southeast Asian fans, MVK's run has been one of the stories of the opening week. A Vietnamese side reaching the Play-In final, and potentially the Swiss Stage, gives the region another team to follow when the main event begins.

Key takeaways

• MVK Esports beat FURIA 3-1 in the Worlds 2026 Play-In lower final on 17 October (US time).
• MVK won games one, two and four; FURIA took game three in 36 minutes.
• FURIA are eliminated, leaving LOS as Brazil's only team at Worlds.
• MVK face Karmine Corp in the Play-In final, scheduled for 2am Malaysia time on 19 October, for the last Swiss Stage place.

FAQ

Who did MVK Esports beat in the Worlds 2026 Play-In lower final? MVK beat Brazil's FURIA 3-1, their second win over FURIA at the event after a 3-0 sweep on the opening day.

When is the Worlds 2026 Play-In final in Malaysia time? Karmine Corp versus MVK Esports is scheduled for Sunday, 18 October in Los Angeles, which is 2am on Monday, 19 October in Malaysia.

What does the Play-In final winner get? The winner takes the only remaining place in the Swiss Stage, which starts on 23 October in Allen, Texas.

Sources: Sheep Esports, GosuGamers, Inven Global, esports.gg