VALORANT Champions 2026 Group Stage Recap: 100T Dominates, T1 Survives the Lower Bracket in Groups A and B
VALORANT Champions 2026 Group A: 100 Thieves Flawless, T1 Fight Back
100 Thieves Secure Early Qualification
The NA powerhouse showed absolute dominance in Group A from the first match. 100 Thieves defeated T1 2-0 in their opener, then maintained their composure through multiple technical pauses to sweep FUT Esports 2-0 in the winners' match. 100T became the first team from Group A to book a ticket to the VALORANT Champions 2026 playoffs without dropping a single map.
T1's Lower Bracket Masterclass
After dropping to the lower bracket, T1 refused to go quietly. The Pacific representatives eliminated JD Gaming with a hard-fought 2-1 victory, then delivered a perfect 2-0 win over FUT Esports in the do-or-die decider. Brilliant performances from Meteor and Munchkin on Map 1, followed by crucial plays from Buzz, Stax, and Izu on Map 2, officially secured T1's place in the playoffs in one of the group stage's most impressive lower-bracket runs.
Heartbreak for FUT and JDG
FUT Esports had a dream start, sweeping JDG 2-0 including a dominant 13-1 map win. However, a domino effect of struggles in their subsequent series caused them to fall short of qualification. Meanwhile, hometown hopefuls JD Gaming were sent home after suffering two consecutive defeats.
Group A Final Standings
100 Thieves — Qualified
T1 — Qualified
FUT Esports — Eliminated (9th to 12th)
JD Gaming — Eliminated (9th to 12th)
VALORANT Champions 2026 Group B: Vitality Shines, LOUD Shows Champion Pedigree
Team Vitality Step Up
Vitality opened their VALORANT Champions 2026 campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Global Esports, clutching the series in round 24 of the third map. In the winners' match, VIT impressively took down LOUD 2-0. Profek stole the show on Map 1 with a massive 22/10 stat line and a 54% headshot rate, before Vitality closed out the series in a tense overtime on Map 2 to secure direct playoff qualification.
LOUD Bounce Back
The Brazilian titans had a smooth start, dismantling EDward Gaming 2-0 including a 13-8 victory on Lotus. Despite stumbling against Vitality in the winners' match, LOUD quickly regained their composure for the decider. They efficiently swept Global Esports 2-0 to claim the final playoff spot from Group B and showed exactly why they remain one of the most dangerous teams at any international event.
Global Esports and EDG Eliminated
Global Esports put up a valiant effort throughout the group, highlighted by PatMen's incredible individual performances including 25 kills in a map against Vitality, and managed to eliminate EDG with a 2-0 sweep. It ultimately was not enough to overcome LOUD in the final hurdle. EDward Gaming, another Chinese representative, exited the tournament without winning a single map after suffering two 2-0 losses — a disappointing result for one of the LPL's most storied organisations on home soil.
Group B Final Standings
Team Vitality — Qualified
LOUD — Qualified
Global Esports — Eliminated (9th to 12th)
EDward Gaming — Eliminated (9th to 12th)
VALORANT Champions 2026 Playoffs: The Bracket is Set
With all four groups now complete, the eight playoff teams are locked in for the double-elimination bracket in Shanghai. The Upper Quarterfinals are already underway with four massive matchups:
NRG vs T1
Paper Rex vs LOUD
100 Thieves vs G2 Esports
Team Vitality vs Nongshim RedForce
