On the second day of
VALORANT Champions 2026, Group D saw its first matchups;
NRG made their debut with an unexpectedly flawless win over Pacific’s second seed,
Nongshim Redforce. Meanwhile,
Karmine Corp easily rolled
Xi Lai Gaming, giving EMEA its first win of the tournament.
The reigning World Champions NRG started insanely strong, dismantling their opponents on Lotus (13-5). Adam "
mada" Pampuch was the best-performing player for the third American seed on the first map, closing the game with an insane
1.77 rating. Split was much more contested by the Masters Santiago champions; however, NRG looked unstoppable and took the series home in clean fashion.
Every member of the American roster looked completely on point, and the team seemed to have no weak point throughout the match. This is a strong statement from the reigning champions, who are looking to become the first team to secure two consecutive Champions trophies.
China searches for answers
In the other match of the group, Karmine Corp completely dominated XLG, outclassing them from the start of the series. Sunset started by securing 8 rounds in a row, showing they are already the EMEA team everyone should be scared of from the start of their tournament run.
KC eventually closed the map with a more-than-convincing 13-2 score, as they always looked in control. Hazem "avez" Khaled particularly stood out on Sunset, closing it with a 19/7/3 score on the Fade, but the team as a whole performed well with no flaws in their gameplay.
History repeated itself on Abyss as KC started again with a huge advantage, which they built through momentum and superiority. However, this time Marshall "N4RRATE" Massey stole the show and decided it was his time to shine. The American player ended the map with an insane 25/7/5 score, completely taking over his opponents.
This loss marks China's second defeat at this year’s Champions edition; the hosting region's future doesn't look bright at the moment. Karmine Corp will play their qualification match against the team that knocked them out of Esports World Cup 2026, NRG, on September 29 at 2:00 pm CEST. Meanwhile, XLG will fight for their lives on October 1, as they must secure a miraculous win against Nongshim Redforce to avoid being kicked out of the tournament.
