100 Thieves Wins VALORANT Esports World Cup 2026 in Paris

American organization 100 Thieves captured the VALORANT championship at the Esports World Cup 2026, defeating reigning champions NRG 3‑1 in the grand final held at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. The victory secured the team’s first S‑Tier international title and a US$600,000 first‑place prize from the tournament’s US$2 million VALORANT purse. NRG, who had not reached an international final since their Champions 2025 win, finished second with US$340,000.

The event, organized by the Esports Foundation with backing from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, featured a total prize pool of US$75 million across 25 esports titles. While VALORANT took centre stage, other games such as Apex Legends, Dota 2 and Fatal Fury also progressed through group and playoff stages.

Following the loss, NRG coach Malkolm “bonkar” Rench commented on the team’s challenges, noting “communication is definitely the hardest… it’s almost like we’re lagging,” as the squad works to integrate new player keiko and improve coordination.