VCT Americas went 4-0 in its opening series at VALORANT Champions Shanghai 2026, and none of its four teams dropped a map. G2 Esports, NRG, LOUD and 100 Thieves finished the first four days with eight map wins between them.
It is a clean start, not a playoff sweep. Each team still has to win a group-stage winner’s match to lock up a playoff spot. Those matches begin September 29.
Champions Shanghai opening results for VCT Americas
| Americas team | Opponent | Series | Next opponent |
|---|---|---|---|
| G2 Esports | TYLOO | 2-0 | Paper Rex, Sept. 29 |
| NRG | Nongshim RedForce | 2-0 | Karmine Corp, Sept. 29 |
| LOUD | EDward Gaming | 2-0 | Team Vitality, Sept. 30 |
| 100 Thieves | T1 | 2-0 | FUT Esports, Sept. 30 |
The pattern is hard to ignore. Every Americas team won its opener, while all four Chinese teams and three of the four Pacific teams fell into elimination matches. Paper Rex was the only Pacific team to stay in the upper side of its group.
100 Thieves finishes the opening round with a 2-0
100 Thieves closed out the perfect regional start on September 27. They beat T1 13-8 on Summit, then took Ascent 13-9. The result gave 100T a date with FUT Esports in the Group A winner’s match.
That win also kept the run from turning into a nice-but-messy regional stat. Four series, eight maps, zero losses is as clean as an opening weekend gets. The tougher test is next because every opponent waiting in the winner’s bracket also won its first match.
The next matches decide the first playoff spots
G2 and NRG play first on September 29. G2 faces Paper Rex in Group C, while NRG gets EMEA Stage 2 champion Karmine Corp in Group D. LOUD meets Team Vitality on September 30, followed by 100 Thieves against FUT Esports.
Champions uses four GSL groups. Two teams advance from each group, and two losses send a team home. Winning the next match means qualifying for the eight-team double-elimination playoffs. A loss is not elimination, but it adds a decider match that nobody wants.
Check the settings behind the Americas rosters
If you are watching the matches for crosshair or sensitivity ideas, start with the players on the servers rather than copying a random preset. setup.gg has profiles for 100 Thieves players Cryocells, Asuna and timotino. The G2 side includes jawgemo and valyn, while NRG players brawk and mada are in the database too.
Use the VALORANT sensitivity guide to compare eDPI before changing anything. The crosshair guide has import codes and explains which parts of a pro crosshair are worth keeping. Fans going to Shanghai can also check the ticket, venue and entry guide.
