Holders NRG and T1 knocked out of Valorant Champions Shanghai as 100 Thieves and G2 Esports advance

There will be no back-to-back Valorant world champion this year. Defending champions NRG were knocked out of Valorant Champions Shanghai on Sunday, 11 October, losing 2-0 to 100 Thieves in the lower bracket, while G2 Esports ended T1's tournament with a 2-1 win in the day's second series. 100 Thieves and G2 now meet for a place in the lower-bracket final when the event resumes after a four-day break. This follows on from Saturday's upper semi-finals, where LOUD and Team Vitality booked their places in the upper final.

100 Thieves end NRG's title defence

NRG came to Shanghai as the reigning world champions after winning Champions Paris, aiming to become the first team to win Champions in consecutive years. That bid ended against fellow North American side 100 Thieves.

The opening map, Sunset, was the decisive one. It went the distance and beyond, with NRG forcing overtime before 100 Thieves won both extra rounds to take it 14-12 after roughly 69 minutes of play. The second map, Haven, was one-sided: 100 Thieves won it 13-4 in just over 35 minutes, with Peter "Asuna" Mazuryk among their best performers.

The loss came one day after NRG were beaten 2-1 by LOUD in the upper semi-finals, and leaves the champions sharing fifth to sixth place. They are the first Americas team to be eliminated from the event.

G2 survive T1 in three maps

The second series was closer. G2 won a tight Lotus 13-11, but T1 hit back on Abyss to take that map 13-10 and force a decider. On Ascent, the score was level at 6-6 at half-time before G2 pulled clear in the second half to win 13-6.

For T1, it was the end of a run that included a comeback win over Paper Rex earlier in the lower bracket. For G2, it was a recovery after a 2-0 defeat to Vitality in the upper semi-finals on Saturday.

What comes next, in Malaysia time

Shanghai is on the same time as Malaysia (UTC+8), so the remaining matches fall in the afternoon for local fans. The schedule announced for the closing stages is:

• Friday, 16 October, 2pm: Upper final, LOUD vs Team Vitality
• Friday, 16 October, 5pm: Lower-bracket semi-final, 100 Thieves vs G2 Esports
• Saturday, 17 October, 3pm: Lower-bracket final, loser of the upper final vs winner of 100 Thieves-G2
• Sunday, 18 October, 2pm: Grand final

The closing weekend moves to the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai. 100 Thieves and G2 have met already in these playoffs: G2 swept them 2-0 in the upper quarter-finals on 8 October.

With LOUD, 100 Thieves and G2 all still alive, the Americas region is guaranteed at least one place in the grand final.

Key takeaways

• 100 Thieves beat defending champions NRG 2-0 (14-12 on Sunset in overtime, 13-4 on Haven) on 11 October.
• G2 Esports beat T1 2-1, winning Lotus 13-11 and Ascent 13-6 after losing Abyss.
• NRG's elimination guarantees that a different team will be crowned world champion this year.
• 100 Thieves face G2 on Friday, 16 October at 5pm Malaysia time; the grand final is on Sunday, 18 October at 2pm.

FAQ

Who knocked NRG out of Valorant Champions 2026? 100 Thieves beat NRG 2-0 in the lower bracket on Sunday, 11 October, ending the defending champions' run in Shanghai.

When is the Valorant Champions Shanghai grand final in Malaysia time? The grand final is scheduled for Sunday, 18 October 2026 at 2pm Malaysia time, at the Mercedes-Benz Arena.

Which teams are still in Valorant Champions Shanghai? LOUD and Team Vitality play the upper final, while 100 Thieves and G2 Esports meet in the lower-bracket semi-final.

Sources: VLR.gg, Sheep Esports, Fragster, Hotspawn, esports.gg