Paper Rex are out of EWC 2026 without securing a single win

Who could have expected such a terrible run at EWC - Esports World Cup 2026 from a team of Paper Rex's caliber? No one. The spiral of agony for the best Pacific team seems endless at the moment, as theft attempts, lost finals, and unexpected losses continue to push them in the wrong direction.

A tough loss against Karmine Corp sends Paper Rex out of EWC 2026

This is probably one of the biggest upsets of the year, especially considering that Karmine Corp have not had a strong season so far. The French organization finished VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - EMEA Stage 1 in 11th-12th place after being knocked out with a 0-5 record. The Esports World Cup (EWC), however, has been a form of redemption for them, as they managed to beat Fnatic and qualify for the event through the EWC - Esports World Cup 2026: EMEA Qualifier.

Heading into the main event, almost no one expected them to have a chance of winning even a single match, as they were placed in a group with teams like Paper Rex, Team Vitality, and NRG. It was a group full of powerhouses and high expectations. But nothing is impossible in VALORANT, and despite losing their opening match against, Karmine Corp managed to do the unexpected and upset Paper Rex.

EWC - Esports World Cup 2026

Paper Rex

1

X

2

Karmine Corp

Group B - Elimination Match, Best of 3 - July 4, 2026 - 2:30PM

13

Sunset

11

9

Fracture

13

7

Lotus

13

Paper Rex

player

Rating

ACS

K/D/A

+/-

K/D

KAST

ADR

HS%

FBSR

FB

FD

f0rsakeN

0.97

175

42/51/29

-9

0.82

71.1%

115.1

25%

67%

8

4

d4v41

0.97

197

48/47/11

+1

1.02

57.4%

130.7

42%

57%

4

3

something

0.96

194

48/45/13

+3

1.07

61.5%

125.1

22%

42%

10

14

Jinggg

0.95

210

45/52/17

-7

0.87

71.3%

149.3

24%

73%

8

3

invy

0.83

170

40/45/11

-5

0.89

71.1%

114.2

29%

67%

8

4

Karmine Corp

player

Rating

ACS

K/D/A

+/-

K/D

KAST

ADR

HS%

FBSR

FB

FD

N4RRATE

1.25

257

61/42/11

+19

1.45

71.3%

172.8

31%

46%

6

7

dos9

1.06

206

49/48/19

+1

1.02

67.7%

128.9

31%

43%

6

8

SUYGETSU

1.03

207

46/45/22

+1

1.02

78.7%

131.3

31%

35%

6

11

LêwN

0.97

212

51/46/5

+5

1.11

73.3%

138.5

33%

44%

7

9

avez

0.68

138

33/42/12

-9

0.79

61.6%

89.5

27%

50%

3

3

From the first game, it was clear that something was not working for Paper Rex. Karmine Corp held the advantage for most of Ascent, but the Pacific team managed to fight back in the final rounds. After the first map, Marshall "N4RRATE" Massey was unleashed on Fracture and started running down his opponents on Phoenix as the ended the map with a 23-13 K/D. The American player had a difficult time after being benched by Sentinels, and decided to try once again to find success with KC, where things weren't looking too bright until now.

Karmine Corp controlled most of Fracture, but as we saw on Sunset, Paper Rex can never be counted out. This time, however, after reaching a 10-9 score, KC managed to close it out and tie the series. Lotus was the final map, but Paper Rex were probably already disconnected after the previous one, as they never managed to get into the match. KC completely rolled them as PRX secured only seven rounds on the map that brutally sent them out of the tournament.

A spiral of agony that started after the Masters London Grand Final

After their recent Grand Finals loss to Leviatán, Paper Rex have not looked the same. There could be many factors behind it, as the season is long and exhausting with so many events packed so closely together. Since they played every event until the very end, a break is probably much needed. A tough loss like the final of VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - Masters London 2026 is never easy on the players’ mentality, and heading straight into EWC was definitely not the best situation for them.

Theft attempts and unfortunate events only made things worse, as the atmosphere around the team looked very off during those days. One thing is certain: Karmine Corp played better and deserved the win without question, but Paper Rex now get some much needed time to rest so they may return even stronger for VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - Pacific Stage 2, which starts on July 16,, as well as VALORANT Champions Shanghai 2026.

For all things VCT-related, make sure to stay tuned to THESPIKE.GG as we continue to update you with the freshest game and esports news.

Featured Image Source: Liu Yicun/Riot Games