Defending world champions Team Liquid Brazil have ended their run at the VALORANT Game Changers Championship 2026. The team failed to defend their crown on home soil in São Paulo, falling 0-2 to KRÜ Blaze in the lower bracket quarterfinals and finishing in 5th–6th place.
In the elimination match against KRÜ Blaze, Team Liquid started strong on the first map, Summit, securing an 8-4 halftime lead. However, their opponents managed to turn the tide and claim a 13-9 victory. On the second map, Haven—Liquid's own pick—KRÜ took complete control, closing out the series 13-6. The match MVP was Amaro "tok1o" Miranda of KRÜ Blaze, who posted 251 ACS, 14% higher than her average over the past six months.
This marks the worst Game Changers Championship result in Team Liquid’s history, as they had previously reached the podium in every edition they attended:
Liquid concluded this year's campaign with two series victories (over Nova Esports GC and G2 Gozen) and two losses. For their performance, Team Liquid earned $25,000 from the total $500,000 prize pool.
In the parallel lower bracket match, MIBR GC swept SK Nebula 2-0, also sending them home in 5th–6th place. MIBR left no chance for their opponents, shutting out SK Nebula 13-0 on Summit before taking Lotus 13-4. Match MVP honors went to Paula "bstrdd" Naguil, who recorded an impressive 356 ACS—54% above her average statistic.
Four teams remain in contention for the championship title. On October 30, key final-stage matches will take place and broadcast live on VCT's YouTube channel: the undefeated Gentle Mates GC and Shopify Rebellion Gold will clash in the upper bracket final, while KRÜ Blaze and MIBR GC will face off in the lower bracket semifinals to keep their tournament hopes alive.
As a reminder: T1 and IG Secure Quarterfinal Spots at Worlds 2026 in Round 4
