T1 defeats Paper Rex and 100 Thieves beats Nongshim in Shanghai lower bracket

T1 defeated Paper Rex 2-1 in a lower-bracket series at VALORANT Champions Shanghai, winning Lotus 13-7, losing Ascent 13-6, and clinching Summit 13-11.

On Summit, Paper Rex led 9-3 at half-time and won the second-half pistol, but T1 rallied to win the map after trailing 10-3 and 11-6, securing seven straight rounds to finish 13-11. Ham “iZu” Woo-Joo earned series MVP for T1 after posting a 1.15 rating and 290 average combat score, and he recorded the only positive KDA among T1 players in the series.

100 Thieves defeated Nongshim RedForce 2-1, winning Split 13-5, losing Sunset 9-13, and winning Ascent 13-1. Matthew “Cryocells” Panganiban earned series MVP for 100 Thieves with a 1.41 rating and 253 average combat score. Both series were elimination matches, removing Paper Rex and Nongshim RedForce from the Shanghai playoff field while advancing T1 and 100 Thieves. The lower bracket round eliminated Paper Rex and Nongshim, while T1 and 100 Thieves continue in the tournament.

The upper-bracket schedule on October 10 features G2 Esports versus Team Vitality and NRG versus LOUD, with the winners advancing to the upper-bracket final. On October 11, 100 Thieves are set to face the loser of the G2-Vitality match, and T1 will play the loser of the NRG-LOUD match. T1’s comeback on Summit included winning an eco round via a force-buy and gaining momentum through multiple flawless rounds.

The MVP performances demonstrated individual impact, with iZu’s 1.15 rating and Cryocells’ 1.41 rating underscoring their contributions. 100 Thieves’ victory was dominant, conceding only one map loss and posting a 13-1 win on Ascent. According to Sheep Esports, the Pacific and EMEA regions each have only their fourth seed remaining as a regional representative. The other teams still in the tournament come from the Americas.

The remaining matches will be broadcast on the official VALORANT Champions Tour Twitch and YouTube streams. These platforms will stream the upcoming upper-bracket and lower-bracket games. Paper Rex’s loss ended their season at a 7th-8th placement at VALORANT Champions Shanghai, completing a set of finishing at every possible placement at a VCT international event. Four of Paper Rex’s five players have contracts expiring at the end of 2026, leaving roster uncertainty for the 2027 VCT cycle.

100 Thieves advanced to the lower bracket after winning the group stage without dropping a set, while T1 and Nongshim RedForce qualified after losing their opening matches and winning two consecutive games, and all four Americas teams survived the group stage with 100 Thieves as the top seed without dropping a set. T1 and Nongshim RedForce each fell 0-2 in their first games, to 100 Thieves and NRG respectively, but advanced to the playoffs after winning two matches in a row.

The group stage took place between September 24 and October 4 at the Jing’an Sports Center in Shanghai, China. In the Pacific region, Paper Rex, T1, and Nongshim RedForce qualified for the playoffs after Paper Rex beat Team Liquid and G2 2-1 each in Group C, making Paper Rex the only Pacific team to go undefeated in the group stage. The Pacific region’s best historical result at Champions is Paper Rex’s runner-up finish in 2023. No Pacific team has won the Champions title to date.

According to Riot Games, all four Americas teams and three Pacific teams made it out of the Valorant Champions Shanghai group stage, and the playoffs began on the 7th. The group stage ran from September 24 to October 4 at the Jing’an Sports Center in Shanghai, China. The lower-bracket matches reduced the tournament field, yet T1 and 100 Thieves still need to win further elimination games to advance to the final. Both teams must win elimination matches to reach the championship.