An unprecedented run

Apex Legends esports crowned an unlikely champion in 2026, and the achievement was historic. Team Oblivion won the ALGS 2026 Championship, held in Sapporo, Japan, from January 15 to 18, finishing atop a 40-team field with 86 points. What made it special was how they got there.

Oblivion became the first team ever to qualify for the championship through the Last Chance Qualifier and then win the whole thing, a path that turned a near-miss into a title.

The winning story

The details underline the upset:

The roster of Blinkzr, Monsoon, and FunFPS delivered under pressure, with Blinkzr named tournament MVP.
Team Falcons finished second and ENTER FORCE.36 third, both on 75 points.
The event drew record attendance, with reports of more than 38,000 tickets sold at the Sapporo venue.
Oblivion's Last Chance Qualifier route made them the ultimate underdog story of the season.

Why it resonates

Oblivion's title is the kind of narrative that competitive gaming thrives on. The Last Chance Qualifier is exactly what it sounds like, a final opportunity for teams that failed to secure a spot through normal qualification. Reaching the championship that way already marks a team as a survivor, and going on to beat the field, including a strong Falcons side, defies the usual expectation that LCQ teams are simply making up the numbers.

Blinkzr's MVP performance anchored the run, and the tight points gap behind Oblivion, with Falcons and ENTER FORCE.36 tied just behind, shows how competitive the top of the standings was. This was no runaway victory but a hard-fought win against elite opposition.

The record attendance in Sapporo speaks to the health of Apex esports and the appetite for live events in Japan, a region that has become increasingly important to the competitive scene. More than 38,000 tickets sold is a strong showing for any esport.

For Apex fans, Oblivion's triumph is a reminder that the ALGS format rewards teams that peak at the right moment, not just those who dominate the regular season. The exact championship prize figure was not confirmed in available reporting, but the sporting story needs no embellishment. From the last chance to the top of the podium, Oblivion authored one of the great ALGS runs.