FURIA claims victory at the start of 2026 with another win at the Thunderpick World Championship. The Brazilian team triumphed over BetBoom Team in the grand final held in Attard, Malta on Sunday, successfully defending their title from the previous year and securing back-to-back championships, as reported by The Lufkin News.
What was once a long wait for a trophy turned into a successful defense, with BetBoom Team putting up a tough fight in the final that went all the way to a deciding map. Additional reports from Strafe and Dust2.us confirm the final score of 3-2 in favor of FURIA in a best-of-five series. While the victory is noteworthy, the journey to get there was far from easy.
A Challenge Across Five Maps
Both reports highlight a final match that saw momentum swinging back and forth. FURIA initially secured Dust2, but BetBoom Team responded by winning Ancient and Nuke to take a 2-1 lead. FURIA managed to stay in the game with a narrow victory on Mirage before ultimately clinching the championship on Cache.
The map scores provided by Strafe and Dust2.us highlight the contrasting nature of each round. FURIA’s victories in the first and last maps were more comfortable, while BetBoom Team made the series a true test of nerves in between.
| Map | Score | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| Dust2 | 13-6 | FURIA |
| Ancient | 16-19 | BetBoom Team |
| Nuke | 9-13 | BetBoom Team |
| Mirage | 13-11 | FURIA |
| Cache | 13-6 | FURIA |
Strafe also notes that FURIA advanced to the final with a 2-0 victory over Aurora in the semifinals. This set them up for a rematch with BetBoom Team after having defeated the same team earlier in the event, turning the final into a battle of familiar foes.
A Defining Title Defense
This victory marks FURIA’s second consecutive Thunderpick title and their first tournament win of the year. The 2026 championship, held in Malta from October 14 to 18, featured eight teams and boasted a $1 million prize pool, adding prestige to FURIA’s triumph. Despite the event’s scale, the essence of the win remains unchanged: FURIA returned to the final and retained the championship.
The Thunderpick World Championship holds significant importance in the CS2 calendar, with its format and prize pool lending weight to title defenses. FURIA’s victory also comes after a challenging start to 2026, making this trophy a pivotal moment rather than a mere prediction of future success.
Following their championship win on Sunday, FURIA faces a quick turnaround as they prepare for the PGL Masters Bucharest starting on October 24, as reported by Dust2.us. While the Thunderpick repeat marks the first trophy of the season, their performance in the upcoming event will determine how well they can carry this success forward.