Eternal Fire, Color, Nemiga, Nuclear TigeRES Reach IEM Beijing Closed Qualifier
The four squads punched their tickets through the European open qualifier, completing the full closed qualifier field for IEM Beijing 2026. Eternal Fire did it with new signing soulfly in his first tournament appearance.
Four Teams Punch Through the European Open Qualifier
The European open qualifier for IEM Beijing 2026 wrapped up on August 24, and when the dust settled, four teams had earned the right to move on to the closed portion of the event. According to HLTV, Eternal Fire, Color, Nemiga, and Nuclear TigeRES all secured their spots, completing the full closed qualifier roster ahead of the tournament.
The path through the qualifier was not without its drama. BC.Game, 1win, and OG were all bounced on day one, which left 100 Thieves as the highest-ranked team still standing with a realistic shot at advancing. The North American-flagged squad, led by Jack “Gizmy” von Spreckelsen, made it all the way to the final match before running into Eternal Fire.
Eternal Fire Debut a New Signing in Style
For Eternal Fire, the qualifier carried a bit of extra significance. As reported by HLTV, this was the first tournament appearance for new signing Caner “soulfly” Kesici, making the result a strong early statement about the team’s direction under its new roster configuration.
The match against 100 Thieves went the distance across three maps. Eternal Fire took Ancient 13-9, dropped Dust2 by a score of 7-13, then closed things out on Mirage 13-10 to advance. It was a clean enough run on the deciding map to send 100 Thieves home and stamp Eternal Fire’s ticket to the closed qualifier.
The rest of the final-round results were a bit more straightforward. Color handled EAC 2-1, Nuclear TigeRES swept CYBERSHOKE 2-0, and Nemiga took down Acend 2-0, each advancing without needing to sweat through a deciding map against a lower-ranked opponent.
The Full Closed Qualifier Field
With the open qualifier complete, the closed qualifier field is now set. Per HLTV, the full list of teams reads as follows: B8, GamerLegion, magic, paiN, BIG, 3DMAX, MIBR, HOTU, HEROIC, DENDELE, K27, EYEBALLERS, Nemiga, Nuclear TigeRES, Eternal Fire, and Color.
That is a genuinely wide-ranging mix of teams. At the top end, HEROIC ranks 30th globally and BIG sits at 21st, while magic comes in at 19th according to HLTV’s figures embedded in the source coverage. On the other end, Color checks in at 79th and Nuclear TigeRES at 65th, meaning the closed qualifier is likely to produce some lopsided early matches before the field tightens up.
For Eternal Fire specifically, the real test begins now. Qualifying through an open bracket is one thing. Competing against teams like magic, BIG, and HEROIC in a closed qualifier is a different kind of pressure entirely, and soulfly will get his next real look at what this version of the roster can do against stiffer competition.
Which teams made it through the IEM Beijing 2026 European open qualifier?
Eternal Fire, Color, Nemiga, and Nuclear TigeRES all advanced through the European open qualifier to reach the closed qualifier for IEM Beijing 2026.
Who did Eternal Fire defeat to qualify for the IEM Beijing closed qualifier?
Eternal Fire eliminated 100 Thieves in the final match of the open qualifier, winning 2-1 with map scores of 13-9 on Ancient, 7-13 on Dust2, and 13-10 on Mirage, according to HLTV.
Who is soulfly and why is his appearance notable?
Caner 'soulfly' Kesici is a new signing for Eternal Fire. The IEM Beijing open qualifier was reportedly his first tournament with the team.
What teams were already in the IEM Beijing closed qualifier before the open qualifier concluded?
According to HLTV, B8, GamerLegion, magic, paiN, BIG, 3DMAX, MIBR, HOTU, HEROIC, DENDELE, K27, and EYEBALLERS were already slotted into the closed qualifier field.