LOUD’s second VALORANT Champions title is now official. The Brazilian organization won the 2026 world championship on Sunday, October 18, in Shanghai, China. LOUD defeated Team Vitality 3-1 in the grand final.
The victory earned LOUD $1 million and returned the organization to the top of the tournament. Four years earlier, LOUD had lifted its first Champions trophy in Istanbul, Turkey, in 2022.
LOUD’s second VALORANT Champions title also made the organization the first and only two-time winner in the event’s history. The latest triumph followed a campaign that included a loss to Vitality in the group stage and a recovery in the playoffs.
LOUD vs. Team Vitality: how the VALORANT Champions 2026 grand final unfolded
The championship match was a best-of-five series. LOUD took a narrow 13-11 victory on Summit, but Vitality answered with a 13-8 win on Lotus to tie the series at 1-1.
The turning point came on Sunset. LOUD won 13-5, the widest margin of any map in the final, to move ahead again. On Haven, the Brazilian organization closed out the match 13-10 and secured the world championship.
Here are the results from all four maps:
| Map | Score | Winner |
| Summit | 13-11 | LOUD |
| Lotus | 8-13 | Team Vitality |
| Sunset | 13-5 | LOUD |
| Haven | 13-10 | LOUD |
Scores are shown from LOUD’s perspective.
Sunset proved especially important. After dropping Lotus, LOUD did not allow the European team’s response to turn into a series lead.
By winning the next two maps, LOUD ended the best-of-five without needing a fifth. The result completed the organization’s second championship run and denied Vitality its first world title.
From a group-stage defeat to revenge against Vitality
LOUD’s path to the trophy included an early setback. During the VALORANT Champions 2026 group stage, Team Vitality swept LOUD 2-0, taking the first head-to-head meeting between the finalists.
LOUD’s campaign continued through the upper bracket of the playoffs. The team recovered from that earlier defeat and advanced to the grand final, setting up another meeting with the same opponent.
This time, the outcome was different. LOUD answered the group-stage loss with a 3-1 victory in the most important match of the competition.
That rematch gave the championship run an added dimension. Along with claiming the title, the roster showed it could recover over the course of the event. The final result highlighted how much had changed between the group stage and the end of the playoffs.
erde named VALORANT Champions 2026 MVP
Chilean captain Roberto “erde” Lobos was named the tournament’s most valuable player (MVP). The award recognized his performance throughout VALORANT Champions 2026, not just the grand final against Vitality.
In the final, erde recorded 66 kills, 56 deaths and 31 assists across four maps, according to VLR.gg. Those numbers underline his individual contribution to the organization’s second world title.
Beyond his stats, erde also captained the team throughout the tournament. He was responsible for guiding the roster through high-pressure matches, including the rematch against Vitality.
The victory marked two milestones for the player. He lifted his first Champions trophy and finished the tournament with its top individual honor.
His MVP award also highlights the role of an international player in the Brazilian organization’s success. Under his leadership, LOUD claimed its second world championship.
Two-time championship caps a VCT era ahead of 2027 changes
The victory comes as competitive VALORANT prepares for a major transition. Riot Games has announced changes to the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) for 2027, with a season built more heavily around tournaments and open qualifiers.
The new system will replace extended league schedules, but it will not end the partnered-team program. Partnered organizations will remain in the circuit, while other teams will have more opportunities to reach international events through competitive results.
Against that backdrop, LOUD’s second VALORANT Champions title closes the current competitive format with a historic achievement for the Brazilian organization.
LOUD collected $1 million for winning Champions 2026. Team Vitality earned $400,000 as runner-up.
Beyond the prize money, the result gives LOUD a unique place in the tournament’s history. No other organization has won the Champions trophy twice.
The Shanghai title joins LOUD’s victory in Istanbul in 2022. The team ends the 2026 season as world champion and the only two-time VALORANT Champions winner, just before a new era begins for the circuit.
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