FaZe, G2, 100 Thieves, Falcons clinch CoD playoffs at Esports World Cup

Jul 19, 2019; Miami Beach, FL, USA; A general view of custom PlayStation controllers sold by a vender during the Call of Duty League Finals e-sports event at Miami Beach Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images FaZe Clan, G2 Esports, 100 Thieves and Team Falcons were the first four teams to secure their spots in the playoff stage thanks to wins Thursday in the $1.8 million Call of Duty tournament at the Esports World Cup 2026 in Paris. FaZe Clan defeated Moivstar KOI 3-1 and G2 Esports blanked Gentle Mates 3-0 in Group A upper-bracket semifinals. In Group B, 100 Thieves outlasted OpTic Gaming 3-2 and Team Falcons defeated Team Heretics 3-1. There were 10 matches in all Thursday, and Team Falcons in fact won twice. They kicked off Group B upper-bracket quarterfinals with a 3-1 win over Project Notorious before facing Heretics. Group stage play concludes Friday as the remaining eight teams try to negotiate their way through the double-elimination bracket to claim spots in the playoffs that begin Saturday. The group stage began with 16 teams, and all matches are best-of-five. The playoffs will be best-of-seven until the grand final on Sunday, which will be best-of-nine. The champion will claim a $600,000 check along with 1,000 World Cup points. The four teams that go winless won't go home empty-handed. They'll receive $20,000 apiece, but only the eight teams that reach the playoffs will earn World Cup points. On Thursday, FaZe Clan opened with a narrow 250-236 win on Gridlock Hardpoint, and Movistar KOI countered with a 6-4 result on Sake Search and Destroy. FaZe moved back in front with a 3-2 win on Gridlock Overload and finished things off with a 250-205 triumph on Sake Hardpoint. G2 swept Gentle Mates 250-201 on Scar Hardpoint, 6-3 on Gridlock Search and Destroy and 4-2 on Gridlock Overload. In Group B, 100 Thieves opened with a 250-227 result on Frequency Hardpoint. OpTic answered by taking Den Search and Destroy 6-3 and Scar Overload 4-3. 100 Thieves staved off elimination with a close 250-239 win on Den Hardpoint, then finished the job with a 6-3 victory on Gridlock Search and Destroy. Falcons beat Heretics 250-202 on Scar Hardpoint, suffered a 6-2 setback on Fringe Search and Destroy and rolled from there by winning Den Overload 4-3 and Den Hardpoint 250-200. The first four eliminations also took place Thursday in the lower-bracket quarterfinals. The Pit knocked out Carolina Royal Ravens 3-2 and Cloud9 defeated OMiT 3-1 in Group A; Team WaR swept Boston Breach 3-0 and Project Notorious eliminated Vancouver Surge 3-1 in Group B. The tournament continues Friday with four lower-bracket semifinal matches: --Gentle Mates vs. The Pit (Group A) --Movistar KOI vs. Cloud9 (Group A) --Team Heretics vs. Team WaR (Group B) --OpTic Gaming vs. Project Notorious Call of Duty BO7 Esports World Cup prize pool 1. $600,000; 1,000 World Cup points 2. $320,000; 750 points 3. $210,000; 500 points 4. $130,000; 300 points 5-8. $75,000; 200 points 9-12. $40,000 13-16. $20,000 -- Carolina Royal Ravens, OMiT, Boston Breach, Vancouver Surge --Field Level Media