The EWC 2026 knocked MenaRD out in the quarters — and lost its Dominican final

After two group stages that already worked as a Top 8 in disguise, the Esports World Cup in Paris cut the field down to eight — and the playoff swallowed its favourite whole.

The quarterfinals paired MenaRD with Craime, Booce Lee with Yamaguchi, Kobayan with Hinao and Leshar with Hibiki. The reigning EVO 2026 champion went out in the opening round of the bracket, and with him any chance of a Dominican final in the biggest room of the year.

A bracket that rewarded whoever survived the groups

The semifinals were Craime against Yamaguchi and Hibiki against Hinao; the title came down to Craime versus Hibiki, while Yamaguchi and Hinao met again in the third-place match. Four names you would not have picked for a tournament this size a year ago.

The upset itself is not the interesting part — what it says about the format is. A single-elimination playoff of eight, sitting on top of two long group stages, does not reward consistency. It rewards arriving on day four with something left in the tank. MenaRD came through group AA, probably the roughest draw of the lot, and hit the quarters running on fumes. Craime, on the other hand, strung together the best stretch of his career at exactly the right moment.

The VODs for all eight playoff matches, plus the group stage, are in the finder filtered by Esports World Cup 2026.