ChaiViz
21.05.2026
The Thunderpick World Championship 2026 Europe Series 1 is about to get underway, and with eight group stage matches spread across May 23rd and 25th, there are plenty of CS2 predictions to work through before the first maps go live. Groups A and B open the competition on Friday, with Groups C and D following on Sunday.
Before diving into the breakdown, the Pick'ems section is open and ready for your bracket. Every correct call earns you a point, every wrong one costs you one, and with matches across two days, getting your picks in early is the move.
Below is a match-by-match breakdown of all eight group stage fixtures along with our recommended picks.
GenOne arrive at this match with four wins from their last five outings, which is the kind of momentum that matters in early-stage tournament play. Their Dust2 is a genuine weapon, sitting at a 61% winrate across 44 maps, and the fact that opponents have banned it twice tells you other teams know it too. MANA are capable of taking a map, but GenOne's current run of form and their map-specific strength make them the clear pick here.
Predicted score: 2:0 or 2:1 in favor of GenOne.
EAC come in on a three-match losing streak, which is not ideal on paper, but a recent win against ALGO (ranked 133) at least shows they can close out a result when it counts. Hashiras have had their moments, including a win over NiP, but one impressive result is not enough to flip this pick. EAC take the slight edge and are our call to advance.
Pick EAC.
Omega bring real map-specific firepower into this fixture. Their Mirage winrate stands at 62% across 53 maps, and their Train record is even more imposing at 67%. Despite that, ASTRAL have the stronger six-month record overall at 49%, and their most recent head-to-head with Omega ended in a clean 2:0 victory just one month ago. ASTRAL's last-30-days winrate has dipped to 42%, but the head-to-head history is difficult to argue against.
Predicted score: 2:1 for ASTRAL.
This is one of the cleaner CS2 matches today for our purposes. ALGO are on a four-match winning streak through the last 30 days, and their Nuke is operating at near-specialist level with a 59% winrate across 44 maps. megoshort have not beaten ALGO in any of their previous meetings, with the last two encounters ending 2:0 and 2:1 in ALGO's favor. megoshort are also sitting on a four-match losing streak of their own in the past month. The safest call on the May 23rd slate.
Pick ALGO.
Lazer Cats might look like the default pick going in, but Just Players' recent form changes the calculation. An 83% winrate over the last 30 days and a four-match winning streak signal a team in genuine rhythm heading into this tournament. That kind of momentum is difficult to dismiss regardless of pre-tournament seeding expectations.
Pick Just Players.
Both teams are trending in the wrong direction, and this is the least predictable fixture of the weekend. Neither side has distinguished themselves through recent form, and the gap between them is narrow enough that this result could land either way. We are leaning toward ex-Zero Tenacity, but this is the riskiest pick on the card and should be treated accordingly.
Pick ex-Zero Tenacity with caution.
Rune Eaters bring a difficult recent record into this match, with just one win from their last five games. Oramond represent a significant unknown at this level, which adds another layer of uncertainty to an already tricky call. Even accounting for Rune Eaters' recent struggles, we believe their roster carries enough professional experience to see them through against an opponent without an established track record.
Pick Rune Eaters, with the caveat that this one comes with risk attached.
HYPERSPIRIT's 13% winrate in the last 30 days represents a serious drop in form, and their tendency to ban Inferno opens the door for Bebop, who hold a 53% winrate on that map across 17 maps. HYPERSPIRIT's alternative map options do not offer a meaningful advantage either. Going against the general lean here, we are backing Bebop to take this match.
Pick Bebop.
All eight picks are in. Head to the Pick'ems section now to lock in your bracket before the first maps go live on May 23rd.
ChaiViz
21.05.2026
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