NIP Reverse-Sweep OG to Clinch Second Roman Imperium Trophy
Ninjas in Pyjamas secured the Roman Imperium Cup VI championship after a hard-fought comeback against OG. The 2-1 victory (7-13 Overpass, 13-3 Nuke, 13-10 Dust2) marks the organization’s second title in the series and its first since integrating Artem “cairne” Mushynskyi in January.
The deciding map, Dust2, remained competitive until Rasmus “sjuush” Beck delivered a quad-kill to shut down OG‘s final attempt at a comeback. This victory stabilizes NIP‘s position in the European circuit as the race for Cologne intensifies.
This result provides a critical boost for NIP following a difficult start to the competitive season. Prior to this event, the squad faced elimination from the IEM Cologne Major invite range due to a slide in the VRS rankings. Their early-year struggles included losses to Monte and 100 Thieves, alongside a mediocre 2-3 showing at ESL Pro League Season 23 where they dropped series to Legacy and M80.
Roman Imperium Cup VI Prize Pool Distribution
Total Prize Pool: €12,000 (~$13,760.84 USD)
| Placement | Prize (USD) | Prize (EUR) | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | $6,880.42 | €6,000 | Ninjas in Pyjamas |
| 2nd | $4,013.58 | €3,500 | OG |
| 3rd | $1,720.10 | €1,500 | Alliance |
| 4th | $1,146.74 | €1,000 | Team Liquid |
| 5th–8th | – | – | EYEBALLERS |
| 5th–8th | – | – | JijieHao |
| 5th–8th | – | – | Gaimin Gladiators |
| 5th–8th | – | – | 9INE |
| 9th–12th | – | – | Rebels Gaming |
| 9th–12th | – | – | Team Voca |
| 9th–12th | – | – | BESTIA |
| 9th–12th | – | – | Nexus Gaming |
| 13th–16th | – | – | M80 |
| 13th–16th | – | – | SAW |
| 13th–16th | – | – | FC Famalicão Esports |
| 13th–16th | – | – | BC.Game Esports |
| 17th–20th | – | – | Nebula In Chaox |
| 17th–20th | – | – | Iedopiecea |
| 17th–20th | – | – | hypewrld |
| 17th–20th | – | – | GRINGOS |
Major Qualification Outlook
Winning in Vila Nova de Gaia earned Ninjas in Pyjamas 97 VRS points. This intake propelled them 11 spots up the global leaderboard to 17th in the race for the final European spot at the Cologne Major. Under the leadership of Marco “Snappi” Pfeiffer, the team navigated the group stage with a 3-1 record before executing clinical 2-0 wins against Gaimin Gladiators and Alliance in the playoffs.
| Date | Matchup | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 12/03/2026 | NIP vs Iedopieca | 1:0 |
| 12/03/2026 | NIP vs EYEBALLERS | 5:13 |
| 12/03/2026 | NIP vs SAW | 13:10 |
| 12/03/2026 | NIP vs Voca | 13:5 |
| 14/03/2026 | Gaimin Gladiators vs NIP | 0:2 |
| 15/03/2026 | NIP vs Alliance | 2:0 |
OG entered the tournament with a refined roster, starting Alexandre “bodyy” Pianaro in place of Timur “FL4MUS” Marev. Despite being their first LAN of 2026, Casper “cadiaN” Møller led his team to a massive 69-place jump in the rankings, finishing at 51st. Their path to the final included victories over JiJieHao and Liquid, though they ultimately failed to close out the series against NIP after leading on Overpass.
“CS2 has been pretty tough for me in many senses, but I’m just trying, day by day, to get better,” noted cadiaN regarding his current form.
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