Japan's UNLIMIT pulled off a stunning victory at the Apex Legends Global Series: 2026 Split 1 Playoffs, held as part of the Esports World Cup 2026. The finals were played under the classic Match Point format and extended to 10 intense matches. Sentinels and Team Vision also came within one step of claiming the title.
Heading into the finals, UNLIMIT were not considered among the favorites. Tournament leaders and top contenders included powerhouse teams such as Team Liquid, Team Falcons, and Sentinels.
Sentinels had every opportunity to close out the finals early and secure the championship in Game 7. However, the Japanese roster eliminated them in a direct confrontation, keeping the title race alive for the entire lobby.
UNLIMIT earned another crucial victory in Game 9, moving within touching distance of the championship. At that point, 10 other teams had also met the Match Point requirement, setting up an all-out battle in front of the packed Paris crowd.
The 10th match proved to be the tournament decider. Following Team Liquid's early elimination, UNLIMIT's biggest remaining obstacles were Falcons, Wolves, ZEDI, and ZETA DIVISION. The final fight for the championship came down to two regional rivals—UNLIMIT and ZETA DIVISION. The Japanese squad wasted no time engaging their opponents, securing a historic tournament victory after having kept their title hopes alive with their pivotal Game 7 performance.
Earlier, Inner Circle won the European qualifier for BLAST Open Porto.
