The VALORANT competitive season has officially ended: fans enjoyed top matches in Shanghai and learned the name of the new world champion, while teams headed on break to analyze their results. Who emerged as the strongest in this cycle? We’ll tell you in this 1xBet review.

Season statistics

In the previous five World Championships, teams from Europe won once (Acend in 2021), teams from China won once (EDward Gaming in 2024), and teams from the Americas won three times: LOUD in 2022, Evil Geniuses in 2023, and NRG in 2025.

Throughout the 2026 season, ogranizations from the Americas and Pacific regions dominated. At the first Masters event in Santiago, where local teams could count on home-crowd support, league leader FURIA was eliminated after two defeats, while NRG and G2 Esports handed the grand final to Asian representatives Nongshim RedForce and Paper Rex.

However, the Americans bounced back at Masters London, where Leviatán fought its way through the lower bracket and defeated the same Paper Rex in the grand final.

Regional strengths

LOUD, the Brazilian organization that won the 2022 championship, made sweeping squad changes ahead of the 2026 season, bringing in three new players. As a result, the team finished second in its regional league for the first time in two years and secured a spot at the world championship.

However, few seriously considered LOUD a contender for the VALORANT Champions 2026 title. Even in its home region, reigning champions NRG, consistent performers G2 Esports, and 100 Thieves looked like stronger prospects. The latter had won the league’s second split and EWC 2026. Other formidable teams also reached the championship, including Paper Rex, Nongshim RedForce, and Team Liquid.

LOUD started by advancing from the group stage with a 2-1 record before reaching the grand final through the upper bracket. Along the way, it defeated Paper Rex (2-0), NRG (2-1), and Vitality twice: 2-1 in the upper-bracket final and 3-1 in the grand final. The other Americas teams also delivered strong performances: 100 Thieves claimed bronze, G2 Esports finished fourth, and NRG took fifth place.

As a result, all four organizations from the Americas league finished in the top 6 at the world championship, underscoring the region’s strength and standing on the international stage.

The current standings are as follows:

• Americas: LOUD is the champion, and all four teams are in the Top 6.
• EMEA: Vitality took silver, but the other three teams finished in spots 9 through 12.
• Pacific: three out of four teams are in 5th-6th (T1) and 7th-8th (Paper Rex, Nongshim RedForce) places.
• China: a complete failure – all four teams went winless, failed to advance from the group stage, and finished at the bottom of the standings.

Comparison of styles

American organizations are known for high coordination, adaptability to any opponent, and strong individual play. The new world champion, LOUD, added aggression and unpredictability to this traditional mix, helping it win the year’s biggest tournament.

European teams are known for their methodical approach, disciplined execution of pre-planned strategies, and less emphasis on individual players’ shooting. It is telling that for the silver medalists, Vitality, the individual factor made the difference: the team’s players took second, third, and fourth among the top four highest-scoring players.

The Pacific region has traditionally built its game around unexpected moves, opening exchanges, and the high level of aggression displayed by individually strong players. This tactic remains successful, but almost all opponents have studied it thoroughly and learned how to counter it.

Chinese teams’ style resembles that of the Pacific region, with a fast pace, quick movements, and constant pressure. However, local players lack the individual skill needed to win in international tournaments.

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