The first quarter-final of IEM Krakow 2026 features a clash between Brazilian powerhouse FURIA and rising Turkish squad Aurora. It’s a classic storyline: experience versus momentum.
Aurora had to grind their way through Stage 1 to earn their playoff spot, while FURIA entered the tournament as one of the invited teams. Despite the tougher path, Aurora impressed by taking down elite opponents such as MOUZ and Falcons, raising the big question: can they pull off another upset against FURIA?
The last time these two teams faced each other was at the Thunderpick World Championship 2025, where FURIA secured a clean 2=0 victory.
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Contents
Previous Encounter & Player Stats – FURIA vs. Aurora
Team Form & Key Players Ahead of the Quarter-final
FURIA – Battle-Tested Veterans Finding Their Rhythm
FURIA’s road to the quarter-finals wasn’t smooth. After losing their first two matches, they were pushed to the brink but responded in classic fashion. Wins against TheMongolZ, Natus Vincere, and Astralis secured their playoff spot despite a brutal schedule.
In the decisive elimination match versus Astralis, molodoy and KSCERATO stepped up as the clear difference-makers. This duo was instrumental in FURIA’s dominant run late last year, when the team briefly looked like the best in the world, and signs of that form are starting to resurface.
While FURIA may not yet be operating at peak level, their big-stage experience, resilience under pressure, and proven playoff pedigree make them a dangerous opponent, especially given their favorable bracket.
Aurora – Momentum, Firepower, and a Question of Consistency
Aurora has been one of the most exciting teams at the event so far. Strong wins over paiN, Falcons, and MOUZ highlighted their potential, with their only main-stage loss coming against Vitality, hardly a surprise.
The team’s firepower revolves around XANTARES and Wicadia, but the recent addition soulfly is quickly finding his footing. He delivered a standout performance against Falcons, topping the scoreboard and showing excellent synergy with his new teammates.
Aurora clearly has the tools to challenge anyone. The real question is whether they can maintain consistency under playoff pressure, especially with a relatively new roster and limited experience on stages of this magnitude.
molodoy thanks the fans
FURIA vs Aurora – Quarter-final Prediction
On paper, experience and historical results favor FURIA. They’ve already beaten Aurora before, they’ve survived tougher playoff scenarios, and they’re more accustomed to high-pressure elimination matches.
Aurora is in great form and clearly capable of another upset, but playing a big-stage quarter-final with a new roster addition could prove more challenging than earlier rounds. In that sense, FURIA holds an additional edge.
Prediction: FURIA to win this match.
Can Aurora take down another team and make another upset, or will it be FURIA that we know, the team, who won three trophies in a row recently? We will have to see it this Friday at 15:45 CET!
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