B8 and MIBR force big upsets to make CAC 2026 playoffs

Bruno Sobieraj Published May 21, 2026

Not many people would have predicted MIBR and B8 to be the first two teams locked in for the CS Asia Championships 2026 playoffs, but here we are.

Having beaten some of the best CS2 teams, both squads will now battle in Group B’s Upper Bracket Final, with the winner advancing straight to the semi-finals.

Here is how their respective journeys in Shanghai have shaped up thus far.

MIBR impress again on international stage

insani is still MIBR’s X-factor. Credit: © PGL

MIBR are one of the teams that qualified for the Major, mostly thanks to the VRS points gained in matches against local competition.

Because of that, Counter-Strike fans who follow only tier one events don’t get to see them in action often. That’s why it’s a surprise when they take down teams like 3DMAX and PARIVISION with ease.

Despite their Brazilian identity, the player who popped off in both games was their Russian AWPer, Klimentii “kl1m” Krivosheev. It’s safe to say that their decision to transition to an international roster was the right one.

While the European imports are doing their jobs, Felipe “insani” Yuji is still the main star of MIBR. He let his teammates shine against 3DMAX before putting on a clinic against PARIVISION to send them to the playoffs.

Last time MIBR played on a stage, they fell short in the PGL Bucharest 2026 quarter-finals. They will definitely be eager to remedy that fact at this event.

npl single-handedly carries B8 to the arena

alex666 has been doing pretty well since taking over IGL duties from npl last year. Credit: © StarLadder

Despite their strong showing at the StarLadder Budapest Major, B8 looked awful at the start of 2026. Up until the end of March, they won only two matches.

Thankfully, for fans of the organization, the tides have turned since then, with the Ukrainian squad performing better with each event, including CAC 2026. Solid wins against Ninjas in Pyjamas and The MongolZ guaranteed B8 a playoff berth, with a semi-final spot still up for grabs.

The player who deserves the most credit for B8’s results at this event is undoubtedly Andrii “npl” Kukharskyi. The former NAVI player got over 20 frags on each of the four maps he played at CAC thus far, which is a feat some of the best CS2 players would be proud of.

Similar to MIBR, B8 fell short in their sole playoff match in 2026, which coincidentally also took place at PGL Bucharest 2026. Hopefully, at least one of them gets over the playoff hump in Shanghai.

Falcons and Legacy get the job done

Two other teams joining B8 and MIBR in the playoffs are Falcons, the CS2 odds favorites to win the event, and Legacy, the defending champions from last year.

If either B8 or MIBR manage to take down one of the big dogs, they would get a priceless confidence boost coming into Stage 1 of the IEM Cologne Major, which is just around the corner.

More action is still to come at the CS Asia Championships 2026, with two more playoff spots still up for grabs. Who will get to play in front of the electric Chinese fanbase?

Read also: Spirit best Falcons to retain PGL Astana title

Featured image credit: © StarLadder