It’s safe to say that the Lunacy Cup 2026 has officially come to an end. After several weeks of competition, we now know the winner of the tournament’s first full-scale edition: Gloris eSports. It is worth noting that the two previous editions of the event were charity events. Therefore, this year’s edition was the first such large-scale and fully regular project organised under the Lunacy Cup banner.
The tournament brought together many teams from the CS2 underground scene. Meanwhile, the format used in both the first and second stages of the competition meant that virtually every round was of immense importance. Throughout the tournament, there was no shortage of surprises, closely fought matches and teams that made their presence felt more and more with every match. In one of our previous articles, we took a closer look at Gloris eSports’ path to the title. This time, however, we’re summarising the entire course of the Lunacy Cup… From the first stage right through to the grand final.
Stage 1 – the battle to advance to the next phase
The first stage of the competition was designed to determine which teams would advance to Stage 2 and retain their chances of reaching the play-offs. The Swiss system meant that every round was of immense importance, and the teams could afford to make very few mistakes. Right from the very first matches, it was clear that the competition would be exceptionally close, and the differences between many of the teams turned out to be very small indeed.
SH4RKS and KRULICZKI fared best in the first Stage. Both teams finished the stage with a perfect 3–0 record, securing early qualification whilst confirming their status as two of the strongest sides in the entire group stage. VETOGAMING and NPK fared considerably worse, failing to win a single match and being eliminated with a 0–3 record.
A 3–1 record secured progression for O7, Lunacy NXT and TEB Esport PRO. All three teams displayed a solid standard of play and managed to maintain consistency throughout most of the stage. Carpathian Roja, Pirtus_Vro and Nexory Team, meanwhile, were knocked out of the tournament, finishing their campaigns with a 1–3 record.
However, the most thrilling matches were those involving teams with a 2–2 record, where direct qualification for the next Stage was at stake. Ultimately, Nexium POLteam, PanicaGaming and Onyx secured their places in the next stage, finishing the first stage with a 3–2 record. Close behind them were Ignis Five, Project Z and Poważna Drużyna Esportowa. All three teams saw their tournament run come to an end following decisive defeats and a 2–3 record, having been just one win away from progressing to the next stage of the competition.
Stage 2 – the final step before the play-offs
Stage 2 was the decisive stage in the battle for places in the play-offs. With some teams having been eliminated in the previous round, the level of competition rose significantly, and virtually every match could have a huge impact on the final standings. The teams were no longer just fighting to stay in the tournament, but above all for a place among the top eight in the entire competition.
Armitra Esport and Onyx made the biggest impression during the second Stage. Both teams finished the stage with a perfect 3–0 record, securing their places in the play-offs very quickly. This was particularly important for Onyx, who had had to fight right to the very end for promotion in the first Stage. This time, the team looked much more confident and were able to capitalise effectively on their opportunities. At the other end of the table were Strzał z Bonia and PanicaGaming. Both teams finished the competition without a single win and, with a 0–3 record, were eliminated from the tournament.
Gloris eSports, KRULICZKI and Husaria Esports secured promotion with a 3–1 record. All three teams performed at a consistent level throughout most of the stage and quickly confirmed their aspirations to compete for the top spots. Meanwhile, UPO Team, O7 and SH4RKS were eliminated from the tournament, finishing the second stage with a 1–3 record.
Once again, the most thrilling action came from the matches involving teams with a 2–2 record, where every match directly determined whether a team would advance or be eliminated. Ultimately, Nexium POLteam, Lunacy Gaming and Galaxy E-Sport secured the final playoff spots, finishing the stage with a 3–2 record. Brothers Bus, Lunacy NXT and TEB Esport PRO came very close to qualifying, but defeats in their decisive matches meant that all three teams finished the tournament with a 2–3 record.
A slightly more detailed summary of the second stage has already been published in a separate article, where we described in greater detail the key matches, the course of the competition and the situation of the individual teams battling for a place in the play-offs.
Lunacy Cup Play-offs – Gloris eSports clinch the title
The play-off phase began with the quarter-finals, which produced several very interesting matches and quickly demonstrated that the battle for the title would be exceptionally close. The teams that had previously made it through the demanding Swiss system advanced to the tournament’s top eight. Consequently, at this stage, it was difficult to identify a single clear favourite for the entire competition.
One of the biggest surprises of the quarter-finals was Galaxy E-Sport’s victory over Armitra Esport. The team, which finished the second stage with a 3–2 record, defeated one of the tournament favourites 2–0 and secured their place in the semi-finals in fine style. The match between Nexium POLteam and Onyx was much more evenly contested. The series ended 2–1 in favour of POLteam, with the third map proving decisive in determining who would progress. Gloris eSports, meanwhile, comfortably saw off Lunacy Gaming, winning 2–0 and confirming that the team is in excellent form. Husaria Esports secured an equally convincing victory, eliminating KRULICZKI 2–0.
The semi-finals provided further excitement. Galaxy E-Sport continued their excellent run and, after a closely fought match, defeated Nexium POLteam 2–1, securing their place in the grand final. The second finalist was Gloris eSports, who once again put in a very solid performance and defeated Husaria Esports 2–0.
The grand final ended in triumph for Gloris eSports. The team defeated Galaxy E-Sport 2–0, thereby claiming the title of champions of the first full-fledged edition of the Lunacy Cup. Gloris maintained a very consistent level of performance throughout the play-offs and ultimately confirmed their dominance in the tournament’s most important matches. It is also worth noting that the third-place play-off between Nexium POLteam and Husaria Esports has probably not yet been played. We have already described Gloris’s journey through the play-offs in more detail in one of our previous articles.
A successful conclusion to the first full-scale edition of the Lunacy Cup
The Lunacy Cup 2026 can be considered a very successful tournament, particularly given that this was the event’s first full-scale edition. The organisers opted for an expanded format, which gave teams more opportunities to showcase their abilities. Furthermore, a single defeat did not immediately rule out a team’s chances of progressing. As a result, throughout the tournament we were treated to many closely fought matches and several unexpected results.
Many teams performed well during the competition. Ultimately, however, it was Gloris eSports that proved to be the most consistent and effective team of the entire tournament. Also worthy of note are the performances of Galaxy E-Sport, Husaria Esports and Nexium POLteam, who also made their mark in the play-offs.
Although the third-place play-off between Nexium POLteam and Husaria Esports has probably not yet taken place, the main results are already known. All that remains, then, is to wait for the next edition and see whether the Lunacy Cup will establish itself as one of the regularly organised tournaments on the underground scene.
English 
Polish 