FULL SENSE dismantled Kiwoom DRX 2-0 in Ho Chi Minh City. Eternal Fire knocked out Team Heretics 2-1 in Berlin. Vitality sent Liquid to the lower bracket. Day 1 of VCT 2026 Stage 1 playoffs delivered across both regions, and the bracket is wide open heading into Friday.

Pacific Upsets in Ho Chi Minh City

The Thai squad that replaced TALON after Riot’s franchise removal in November looked nothing like a budget fill-in. FULL SENSE swept DRX across two maps, with Primmie putting up a performance that VLR comment sections are already calling record-adjacent. DRX had zero answers for his aggression, and yumyum was invisible across both maps. The scoreline flatters the Koreans. It was worse than 2-0.

Global Esports completed their own sweep, beating Rex Regum Qeon 2-0 in the opening series. That result marks a genuine milestone: GE are the first Indian organization to reach VCT Pacific playoffs since franchising began in 2023. The PatMen-led roster outmaneuvered RRQ on their map picks, and the Indonesian side never found their footing.

Both winners advance to Upper Semifinals. FULL SENSE face T1, who went 5-0 in Group Omega and earned a first-round bye. Global Esports draw Paper Rex, Group Alpha leaders. DRX and RRQ drop to Lower Round 1 on May 9, where one more loss ends their tournament.

Berlin: Eternal Fire Keep the Streak Alive

Eternal Fire entered the VCT EMEA playoffs as the league’s best story. Riot added the Turkish roster after removing ULF Esports in March, and EF responded with a 4-1 group stage in Omega, including a signature 2-0 over Vitality in Week 3. On Wednesday in Berlin, they needed all three maps to get past Heretics, taking the series 2-1. Heretics drop to Lower Round 1, where BBL Esports wait on May 9.

Team Vitality handled Team Liquid to complete the day’s EMEA action. Liquid finished 4-1 in Group Alpha and entered as slight favorites. Vitality won anyway and advance to the Upper Semifinals against FNATIC, who went a perfect 5-0 in Group Omega with stand-in CyvOph earning match MVP on debut. That matchup is the headliner for Friday.

Day 2 Preview: Four Upper Semifinal Matchups on Friday

EMEA (Berlin, May 8):

FUT Esports vs Eternal Fire opens the day at 11:00 AM EDT. FUT topped Group Alpha and earned their bye after a massive turnaround from an 11th-12th Kickoff finish. EF bring momentum from the Heretics win, but the Turks face their toughest test yet.

FNATIC vs Team Vitality follows at 2:00 PM EDT. FNATIC have owned this matchup historically and carry a 5-0 group record into the bracket. Vitality scraped into playoffs as the last qualifier from Omega. An FNATIC win puts them one series from Masters London.

Pacific (Ho Chi Minh City, May 8):

Paper Rex vs Global Esports at 1:00 AM PDT. PRX led Group Alpha and carry the upper bracket bye advantage. GE ride the high of their historic playoff debut but face a massive step up in opponent quality.

T1 vs FULL SENSE at 3:00 AM PDT. T1 stormed through Group Omega unbeaten at 5-0. FULL SENSE just demolished DRX behind Primmie’s firepower. This series answers whether the Thai roster’s Day 1 form was a peak or a preview.

Upper Semifinal winners across both regions move within one series of qualifying for Masters London at the Copper Box Arena (June 6-21, $1M prize pool). Top three finishers in each region earn a spot. For FNATIC and FUT in EMEA, and Paper Rex and T1 in Pacific, a single Friday win punches the ticket.

Lower bracket play begins May 9 in both regions.