Group Falcons fly as Group Liquid and VK Gaming fail to qualify for ALGS Championship finals

Following a climactic Bracket Stage, Apex Legends World Collection (ALGS) 12 months 5 Championship heads to the Match Level Finals with Group Falcons as soon as once more being the staff to beat.

Throughout each the Higher and Decrease Bracket matches, there have been shock {qualifications} and disappointing eliminations from match favourites. 

Esports Insider breaks down all the pieces that went down within the Bracket Stage of Apex Legends’ largest occasion of the 12 months.

The day consisted of the Higher Bracket and two rounds within the Decrease Bracket. In the long run, the highest 20 groups, 10 from every bracket, moved on to tomorrow’s Match Level Finals (January 18th, 2026). 

The Higher Bracket featured the highest performers from the primary two days of the ALGS 12 months 5 Championship, all vying for a high 10 spot to ensure a closing place. Nonetheless, while most groups scratched and clawed their means via the collection, as soon as once more, Group Falcons got here out on high. The staff ended the collection with 60 factors, adopted by GoNext Esports (48) and TSM (47). 

Group Falcons’ runwas largely due to its standout efficiency within the first half of the collection on World’s Edge. It reached a podium place within the first two video games, and claimed a first-place win on recreation three after taking down previous ALGS Championship winners GoNext Esports and TSM within the closing ring. 

One other notable staff that made it via to the finals through the Higher Bracket is Alliance, one of many high groups from the 2025/2026 international rankings. General, the staff completed sixth (43) within the collection standings. The roster was at its greatest in recreation two, successful a three-way gun combat towards Wolves Esports and Group Falcons within the closing ring, ending with 12 kills. 

The collection finally concluded in a chaotic closing recreation. Within the final ring of Storm Level, 5 groups remained. Fnatic and S8UL Esports had been the primary to be eradicated, guaranteeing a spot within the Decrease Bracket. 

Supernova would then remove the weakened GoNext Esports, leaving solely Virtus.professional remaining. However in the long run, Supernova gained the 3v3 gun-fight, going from eleventh place within the leaderboards to seventh on the final potential alternative. In consequence, the American staff not needed to danger a Decrease Bracket run and punched a ticket to the Finals. 

Within the first Decrease Bracket collection of the day, the true danger of elimination started to settle in for a number of the occasion’s match favourites. Declare high 10, advance to Spherical 2; fail, and the hunt was over.

Nonetheless, in an action-packed collection throughout ALGS maps World’s Edge and Storm Level, it was Group Liquid Alienware that was surprisingly eradicated from the match. This can undoubtedly be a irritating end result for the roster, as not solely did the squad obtain a first-place win in recreation 5 with 9 eliminations, however it ended the collection with a two-point deficit to Tenth-place staff, SYRALE. 

The elimination can also be heartbreaking for followers of Rhys ‘Zer0’ Perry, who was previously a member of Group Falcons earlier in 2025 in the course of the staff’s ALGS Open victory. In consequence, the participant won’t face off towards his former teammates within the Match Level Finals. 

One other upset that occurred within the Decrease Bracket Spherical 1 was the exit of ROC Esports, the runner-up of this season’s Mid-Season Playoffs. Its highest placement was seventh within the third recreation of the collection, however the staff noticed early eliminations steadily, dropping the prospect to earn very important factors. In the long run, the staff may muster solely 17 factors in whole, the second-lowest within the bracket. 

All the pieces was on the road throughout Decrease Bracket Spherical 2, as this was the final probability to achieve the Finals. Followers eagerly anticipated which groups, amongst the worst performers from the Higher Bracket and one of the best from Decrease Bracket Spherical 1, would survive. 

Some large names that fell from the Higher Bracket bounced again within the closing collection of the day. UNLIMIT’s look in Decrease Bracket Spherical 2 was a shock to many followers, and an underwhelming efficiency within the first three matches made its future within the ALGS 12 months 5 Championship unsure. 

Nonetheless, the Japanese staff turned issues round from recreation 4 when the collection shifted from E-District to World’s Edge, claiming a third-place, 13-kill recreation on recreation 4, a win on recreation 5, and a runner-up in recreation six. UNLIMIT’s ‘Yulariman’ was additionally named the day’s kill chief with 67 eliminations. 

Loopy Thieves additionally certified for the Finals. After narrowly lacking out on the Higher Bracket to Ninjas in Pyjamas within the Group Stage, the staff needed to claw its means via the Decrease Bracket and fought viciously in Spherical 2. Kicking off the collection with a first-place win and 12 kills in recreation one, and a runner-up 11 kill run on recreation 4, Loopy Thieves secured its place within the finals. It’s a reduction for followers of Evan ‘Verhulst’ Verhulst, who will get an opportunity to earn his second championship title.

Some main eliminations additionally occurred within the Decrease Brackets Spherical 2. Aurora Gaming, which consists of 12 months 4 champion gamers, Jose ‘Uxako’ Llosa and Filipe ‘Hiarka’ Morgado, did not qualify for the Finals. A bitter finish for the gamers, as their former organisation, GoNext Esports, certified via the Higher Bracket. 

The opposite upset got here from VK Gaming, the current winners of the ALGS Mid-Season Playoffs. Regardless of managing to climb its means from the primary spherical, VK Gaming did not maintain tempo with the remainder of the competitors. By the point it positioned fourth within the closing recreation of the collection, it was too little and too late for the staff, and was eradicated after inserting fifteenth with solely 21 factors gathered.

One closing day stays within the ALGS 12 months 5 Championship because the remaining groups gear up for the Finals. It’s the most pivotal second within the match, as it is going to determine the 12 months 5 champion and which staff will obtain the lion’s share of its $2m (~£1.48m) prize pool. 

The Finals will see a vital change in format, shifting to the Match Level system. There isn’t any match restrict as groups try to be the primary to achieve the 50-point threshold, changing into Match Level Eligible, by inserting excessive and securing eliminations.

A number of groups can grow to be Match Level Eligible, however the first to safe a first-place win afterwards will grow to be the 12 months 5 champion. 

These are all of the groups that can compete within the Finals of the ALGS 12 months 5 Championship: 

The Finals will probably be broadcast via the official ALGS channels on Twitch and on YouTube. Moreover, co-streams may even run alongside the official livestream from quite a lot of content material creators and casters, together with Jack ‘NiceWigg’ Martin and Athanasios ‘Greek’ Alestas