LOUD and Vitality Meet Again in the Valorant Champions 2026 Grand Final
GAME MODE Staff·Oct 17, 2026· 2m read
Their third meeting of the event decides the $1 million title in Shanghai on October 18, after Vitality beat 100 Thieves 3-1.
Third time decides it. LOUD and Team Vitality have already traded wins at Champions Shanghai, and now they meet again with the Valorant Champions 2026 title on the line.
The grand final at a glance
- When: October 18, scheduled for 2 PM local time, or 2 AM Eastern
- Where: Mercedes-Benz Arena, Shanghai
- Format: best of five
- Prize: $1 million for the winner, out of the event’s $2.25 million prize pool
How LOUD and Vitality got here
The two teams already know each other well from this event.
- September 30 — Vitality beat LOUD 2-0 in the group stage, closing it out with a 19-17 overtime win on Summit.
- October 16 — LOUD struck back in the upper final. They lost Vitality’s Lotus pick 8-13, then took Summit 13-5 and Haven 13-11 to move straight into the final.
- October 17 — Vitality earned the rematch in the lower final, beating 100 Thieves 3-1. 100 Thieves won Split 13-5, but Vitality answered with 13-10 on Summit, 13-11 on Lotus and 13-9 on Ascent.
A first, whoever wins
LOUD won Champions in 2022, and no team has won the event twice. Beat Vitality again, and they become the first two-time champions.
Vitality have a first of their own to chase. They’ve never won Champions, and this is their shot at the title.
Frag or Die, then a new agent
Don’t tune in late. Grand final day opens with a “Frag or Die” ceremony before the teams take the stage, and Riot will reveal Valorant’s next agent on the broadcast before the series. The event MVP will be chosen by the broadcast talent, co-streamers and media.
