Game Changers Championship: FENNEL avenge Pacific final loss to knock out Gen.G as Liquid Brazil survive

The Valorant Game Changers Championship 2026 has its first eliminations. In the opening round of the lower bracket in São Paulo on Sunday, 25 October, FENNEL GC beat Gen.G GC 2-1 to avenge their defeat in the Pacific final, while defending champions Team Liquid Brazil swept Nova Esports GC 2-0. Gen.G GC and Nova Esports GC are out of the tournament in joint ninth place.

FENNEL get their revenge

The first elimination match was a rematch of the Game Changers Pacific grand final, which Gen.G GC won 3-2 in Bali on 20 September to take the region's top seed. FENNEL GC, the Pacific's second representative, turned the result around in Brazil, winning a three-map series to stay alive.

Both teams had fallen into the lower bracket in the first days of the event. FENNEL were beaten 2-0 by MIBR GC in their upper-bracket opener on 22 October, while Gen.G GC lost a three-map quarter-final to KRÜ BLAZE a day later.

Liquid Brazil keep their defence alive

Team Liquid Brazil, who won the 2025 Game Changers Championship, had been knocked into the lower bracket by a 2-0 defeat to Gentle Mates GC on 23 October. They responded with a clean 2-0 win over Nova Esports GC, China's only representative, in Sunday's late match.

Nova had also lost their opening match, 2-0 to SK Nebula, and leave São Paulo without a series win. Both eliminated teams receive $10,000 from the $500,000 prize pool.

What comes next, in Malaysia time

The lower bracket continues with two more elimination matches, followed by the upper-bracket semi-finals:

• Tuesday, 27 October, 2am: SK Nebula vs FENNEL GC (lower round 2)
• Tuesday, 27 October, 5am: G2 Gozen vs Team Liquid Brazil (lower round 2)
• Wednesday, 28 October, 2am: MIBR GC vs Gentle Mates GC (upper semi-final)
• Wednesday, 28 October, 5am: Shopify Rebellion Gold vs KRÜ BLAZE (upper semi-final)

All series are best-of-three apart from the lower-bracket final and the grand final, which are best-of-five. The grand final is on Sunday, 1 November, at 1pm in New York, which is 2am on Monday, 2 November, in Malaysia. Times may shift if earlier matches run long.

The road to the trophy

Ten teams arrived at the Riot Games Arena in São Paulo: three from EMEA (G2 Gozen, Gentle Mates GC and SK Nebula), four from the Americas (Team Liquid Brazil, Shopify Rebellion Gold, KRÜ BLAZE and MIBR GC), two from the Pacific (Gen.G GC and FENNEL GC) and one from China (Nova Esports GC). The bracket is double elimination, so every team that remains is now one series defeat from going home except the four upper-bracket semi-finalists.

The champions will take home $180,000, with $100,000 for the runners-up.

Key takeaways

• FENNEL GC beat Gen.G GC 2-1, reversing September's Pacific final result.
• Team Liquid Brazil, the 2025 champions, beat Nova Esports GC 2-0 to stay alive.
• Gen.G GC and Nova Esports GC are eliminated in joint ninth, earning $10,000 each.
• The upper semi-finals feature MIBR GC, Gentle Mates GC, Shopify Rebellion Gold and KRÜ BLAZE.

FAQ

Who was eliminated from the Game Changers Championship 2026 on 25 October? Gen.G GC, beaten 2-1 by FENNEL GC, and Nova Esports GC, beaten 2-0 by Team Liquid Brazil.

Where is the Game Changers Championship 2026 being played? At the Riot Games Arena in São Paulo, Brazil, from 22 October to 1 November 2026.

What time is the Game Changers Championship grand final in Malaysia? The grand final is scheduled for 2am on Monday, 2 November, Malaysia time (1pm on 1 November in New York).

Sources: VLR.gg, rib.gg, THESPIKE.GG, Dot Esports, Gamereactor