Two first-round lower-bracket playoff matches took place at VALORANT Champions 2026 in Shanghai. 100 Thieves and T1 secured 2–1 victories over Nongshim RedForce and Paper Rex, respectively. Both winners will continue their fight for the championship title, while their opponents have been eliminated from the tournament.
In the series against Nongshim RedForce, the North American squad won the first map 13–5 before their opponents leveled the series with a 13–9 victory on the second map.
The deciding map was Ascent, where 100 Thieves seized the initiative from the opening rounds and took a commanding 7–0 lead. The American team eventually closed out the map with a dominant 13–1 victory, eliminating Nongshim RedForce from the championship.
For Nongshim RedForce, the result marks the end of a successful season. The team won VALORANT Masters Santiago 2026, finished second at VCT Pacific Stage 2, and qualified for the World Championship playoffs. They lost a closely contested series against Team Vitality in the upper bracket before failing to advance further after facing 100 Thieves.
In the matchup against Paper Rex, T1 made a strong start on Lotus, securing a 13–7 victory. Meteor, Munchkin, and BuZz played key roles, combining for 56 kills.
On their own map pick, Ascent, Paper Rex responded with a 13–6 win. something was particularly impressive, finishing the map with 366 ACS, while invy recorded a 19/8/7 KDA.
The series was decided on the third map, Summit. Paper Rex ended the attacking half with a 9–3 lead and later extended their advantage to 10–3. However, T1 managed to turn the match around and gradually closed the gap. The South Korean team eventually won the map 13–11, eliminating Paper Rex from VALORANT Champions 2026.
The defeat was a major blow for Paper Rex, which had remained one of the strongest teams on the competitive scene for several years. The team won Toronto Masters 2025 and finished runner-up at Masters Santiago and Masters London in 2026. However, the end of the season proved disappointing: after finishing joint-last at Esports World Cup 2026 and placing fifth–sixth at VCT Stage 2, the team settled for seventh–eighth place at the World Championship.
The future of the Paper Rex roster also remains uncertain. The contracts of something, d4v41, Jinggg, and f0rsakeN expire in 2026, while invy's contract runs through 2027.
Following the first round of the lower-bracket playoffs, 100 Thieves and T1 will continue their pursuit of the VALORANT Champions 2026 title. For Nongshim RedForce and Paper Rex, the tournament is over despite high expectations and strong performances throughout the season.
As a reminder, LOUD’s lukxo on Reaching the VALORANT Champions 2026 Semifinals: “I’ll Never Stop Being Aggressive”
