FURIA & Team Secret Whales on Catching Up to Bigger Regions

For Brazil’s CBLOL and the multi-region LCP, international tournaments like the Mid-Season Invitational 2026 have long been a proving ground where underdog status is both a label and a learning opportunity. FURIA, the CBLOL champions, and Team Secret Whales, the LCP champions, entered MSI 2026 with clear-eyed ambitions: to test themselves against the best and to close the gap with established powerhouses like the LEC and LCK.

FURIA midlaner Arthur “Tutsz” Machado set a realistic yet ambitious tone ahead of the event. “I mean, definitely win probably against anything that’s not Asian would be like a good expectation,” he told Esports Insider. “Asian, I mean LCK or LPL. I think we, if we lose to [LCP], it’s kind of a little bit upsetting for us. So I think we’re definitely looking forward to beating G2 or Team Secret Whales.” This perspective underscores a region that has grown in confidence but remains acutely aware of the hierarchy.

FURIA’s path to MSI was not straightforward. They finished third in the CBLOL Cup, missing First Stand, but earned a spot in the Americas Cup—a cross-region battle between second- and third-place teams from the LCS and CBLOL. There, they went undefeated, securing a trophy and momentum that carried them through the CBLOL Spring Split to a trip to Korea for MSI.

Learning Through Losses Against Top Competition

At MSI, FURIA drew LYON, the LCS champions, in the opening round of the bracket stage. The series was close, with FURIA matching LYON in many areas, but discipline proved to be the deciding factor. FURIA coach Erick “furyz” Susin identified the issue: “We were ahead. So I feel it’s… learning how to play our own game and slowly doing the things we want and not just responding to the enemies.” The team’s aggressive approach allowed LYON to turn the game around at key moments.

After the loss to LYON, FURIA faced T1, the legendary LCK team led by Faker. T1 swept FURIA, ending their tournament without a single game win. Support Gabriel “JoJo” Dzelme de Oliveira acknowledged the gap: “We knew it wasn’t going to be an easy game, an easy BO5. We came with the mentality that, ‘Yeah, maybe if we play our best, we can beat them.’ We kind of wanted to show people that we can also play against them. But we didn’t win a single game. I think they’re just way better than us right now.”

Despite the sweep, furyz saw progress. “Sometimes when Brazil plays against Korea, for example, you could see some games were impossible to play after 10 minutes,” he said. “It’s a little bit closer. It’s more about the consistency and the macro discipline, and I think those things are better than us. Today was pretty clear, but I have some hope because I feel like a lot of times our team is fighting, like we were playing stuff together, and we could beat them in team fights.”

Ambition for the Future

FURIA’s performance at MSI highlighted both the strides made by CBLOL and the persistent challenges. The CBLOL remains the only region without a second MSI spot, a point of frustration for players like FURIA jungler Pedro “Tatu” Seixas. “Super excited,” he said. “The next fight is about getting six spots for MSI, too. Because now we’re the only region without a second MSI spot. Let’s fight for it. Dude, let’s get some wins, enter some tournaments.”

The Americas Cup victory had already shown that CBLOL teams could compete with and defeat LCS squads. Tatu noted the gap to the LEC specifically: “I think LEC is one step ahead.” This acknowledgment does not diminish the region’s progress but frames it as a benchmark to reach.

A Region’s Ambition and the Road Ahead

Looking forward, CBLOL has an extra Worlds spot for the 2026 World Championship in the United States, providing more opportunities for teams to gain international experience. Tutsz reflected on the team’s trajectory: “We are improving a lot. I’m not sure if we’re one of the best in the West or not. … [Playing against LYON was a] pretty good way to see how well we’re faring.”

• FURIA went undefeated in the Americas Cup, beating LCS teams to win the trophy.
• At MSI, FURIA lost to LYON in a close series due to discipline issues.
• FURIA was swept by T1, failing to win a single game in the tournament.
• CBLOL is the only region without a second MSI spot but has an extra Worlds slot for 2026.

FURIA’s journey at MSI 2026 served as a reminder that growth is not linear, but each international appearance offers lessons that can help close the gap. With an extra Worlds spot and a clear focus on improving discipline and consistency, the region is poised to continue its push toward competing with the world’s best. As furyz put it, “There’s so much we can learn from those games.”