Wildcard hold off DENDELE to win FRAG University 2026

Wildcard have emerged as champions of FRAG University 2026 after winning every single match at the New York LAN.

Wildcard began in Group D, where they went 3-0 and moved on in first place. Wildcard then came up against Last Dance US and NRG in the first two rounds of the playoffs, where they defeated both teams in BO1s. Then, they faced DENDELE in the upper final, defeating the Brazilians 2-0 and sending them down to the consolidation final.

DENDELE bounced back in that next match, beating fellow Brazilians Imperial to set up a rematch with Wildcard in the grand final. Wildcard started the final match with a 1-0 advantage from the upper bracket, and narrowly avoided an embarrassing defeat, beating DENDELE 3-2 in what could prove to be a huge match for their Major chances.

DENDELE began the first map of the series down 0-1, and Wildcard selected Mirage. This map didn't go to plan for WC, as DENDELE ran away with the first game, 13-4, to even the series at 1-1.

DENDELE'S first pick of the series was Nuke, but Wildcard flipped the script back on the Brazilians. WC took an 8-4 lead after their CT side and held DENDELE at arm's length in the second half to win the map 13-8 and restore their one-map lead.

The third map was Inferno, another one of Wildcard's picks. Again, the team that picked the map didn't fare well. DENDELE battled through the CT side to take a 7-5 halftime lead. It was on the T side that the Brazilian squad ran away with the game. Despite falling behind 8-7, DENDELE took the next six rounds to win the map 13-8 and tie up the series at 2-2, forcing a decider.

The fifth and final map was Anubis, and it would be the closest map of the series. DENDELE began with a four-round streak to which Wildcard answered with seven of the final eight rounds to take a 7-5 lead after their CT side. Wildcard quickly took a 12-7 lead on their T side, putting DENDELE on the brink of defeat. The Brazilians came back, winning the final five regulation rounds to force overtime. DENDELE took a 14-13 lead after the first half of OT, but Wildcard would stabilize on their CT side. The North Americans went flawless on defense, winning the map 16-14 and securing the championship at FRAG University.

Ethan "reck" Serrano was the MVP of the grand final, posting 71 frags, fourteen more than his next-closest teammate.

With the win at FRAG, Wildcard have put themselves inside invite range for the PGL Major Singapore. The top nine teams in the Americas region will earn a place at the Major, and Wildcard currently sit in eighth. According to HLTV , Wildcard now have a 72% chance of making the Major, a major upgrade from their 33% chance at the beginning of FRAG University.