KRÜ Rises From the Lower Bracket to Become Game Changers Champion

KRÜ Blaze became the 2026 VALORANT Game Changers Championship champion on November 1 at the Riot Games Arena in São Paulo, defeating Europe's Gentle Mates GC 3-2. KRÜ was the first team to climb from the lower bracket and win the tournament. It was also the first time a Latin American team lifted the trophy.

The tournament began on October 22 and featured 10 teams. Gentle Mates earned 100 thousand US dollars for second place. Shopify Rebellion Gold took third and received 70 thousand US dollars, and MIBR GC took fourth and received 50 thousand US dollars.

KRÜ had a long road. In the upper bracket quarterfinals on October 23, they beat Gen.G GC 2-1, but on October 27 they lost 2-0 to Shopify Rebellion Gold and dropped to the lower bracket. They then beat Team Liquid Brazil and MIBR GC with clean wins. On October 31, in the lower bracket final, they defeated Shopify Rebellion Gold 3-1.

The grand final was a close one. Gentle Mates took Haven 13-5, but KRÜ answered on Abyss with the same score to level the series. On the third map, KRÜ led 10-2 at halftime. Gentle Mates came back, but KRÜ won in overtime 14-12. Gentle Mates took Split 13-8, which sent the series to a fifth map. Leading 11-5 on Ascent, KRÜ closed out the match by the same margin and claimed the championship. Liquipedia named KRÜ's Argentine player tok1o the tournament MVP. His Brazilian teammates antG and none became the first Brazilians to win an international tournament held in São Paulo.

This title closes an era for the Game Changers format. KRÜ won the last tournament organized independently. The 2027 Game Changers Championship final will move to VALORANT Champions. Every team that takes part in the 2027 tournament will receive a payment equal to Gentle Mates' second place prize this year. VALORANT Champions 2027 will be played in Austin from September 16 to October 10.