9z clinched the final spot in the XSE Pro League Guangzhou 2026 playoffs after beating MIBR 2-0 in the Swiss leg decider 2-2. The South American team controlled both maps and finished the Swiss leg with a 3-2 score, while MIBR’s campaign came to an end despite a strong individual performance from Felipe “insani” Yuji.
Road through the Swiss scene
9z has recovered impressively from a difficult period. They opened the tournament with victories over SINNERS and 3DMAX, then suffered two straight losses to EYEBALLERS and Alliance, entering the elimination match with a score of 2-2. The victory over MIBR completed their recovery and secured a 3–2 finish, allowing them to secure the final play-off spot.
MIBR started strong with wins over FaZe and BIG, but consecutive losses to B8, Parivision and 9z ended their campaign. The Brazilian team is eliminated from the tournament with a score of 2-3.
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9z survive the decisive match
Player statistics for the match // taken from the HLTV website Source: www.hltv.org
With both teams entering the series tied 2–2, only one was able to advance to the playoffs. 9z started on their own Nuke map and showed disciplined play to secure a 13-10 win.
MIBR responded well to Mirage, taking the lead in map selection, but 9z made an impressive comeback after switching sides. The Argentine squad erased the deficit and closed it out 16-13 in overtime to finish 2-0 and book their berth in the playoffs.
HUASOPEEK leads 9z to victory
Matias “HUASOPEEK” Ibañez Hernandez led 9z in victory with a 1.27 rating, 81.2 ADR and 37-37 KD throughout the series. Ignacio “meyern” Meyer also played a decisive role with a 1.24 rating, while Maximiliano “max” Gonzalez provided a solid 1.11 rating.
In MIBR, Felipe “insani” Yuji was outstanding despite the loss, becoming the highest rated player on the server with a 1.41 rating, 105.1 ADR, and 44 kills. Lucas “nqz” Soares also impressed with a 1.19 rating, but the rest of the Brazilian roster struggled to match 9z’s consistency.
VRS update
Although MIBR were eliminated, they only lost 11 VRS points and remained 15th in the Valve regional standings. 9z scored 18 VRS points, maintaining 12th place and strengthening their position for future invitationals.
9z noted the qualification for X with the following message:
QUALIFIED FOR THE XSE PRO LEAGUE PLAYOFFS.
The organization also highlighted its path to the playoffs, noting victories over SINNERS, 3DMAX and MIBR.
MIBR thanked its supporters following the elimination, writing:
Our journey in the XSE Pro League has come to an end… We need to make adjustments and we will come back stronger for the next challenges.
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What’s next?
9z advance to the playoffs of the XSE Pro League Guangzhou 2026 after surviving all five rounds of the Swiss stage. MIBR, meanwhile, are eliminated from the tournament and will now turn their attention to upcoming events as they look to bounce back from a promising but ultimately disappointing campaign.