Esports World Cup 2026 Day 7: 100 Thieves Win VALORANT Title as Dota 2 Group Stage Continues

Esports World Cup 2026 crowned its VALORANT champion on Sunday, July 12, while the Dota 2 tournament kept working through its group stage ahead of the playoffs. 100 Thieves beat NRG in an all-North American final, and six Dota 2 series were decided across the day.

VALORANT: 100 Thieves Take the Title

100 Thieves Beat NRG 3-1 in the Grand Final

100 Thieves defeated NRG 3-1 in the VALORANT Grand Final, becoming the first VALORANT champions of the Esports World Cup's Paris edition. The series moved through Breeze, Sunset, Haven, and Ascent, with 100 Thieves showing composure after every momentum swing. Rather than relying on one standout map, the team consistently won the key mid-round engagements and converted advantages into round victories.

NRG had their moments throughout the series, particularly when Timotino found opening picks and helped stabilize rounds, but they struggled to keep pace once 100 Thieves established control. Every time NRG threatened a comeback, 100 Thieves answered with disciplined utility usage and coordinated site executions that prevented the series from turning into a deciding fifth map.

mada led the champions with 70 kills, a 258 ACS, and a +16 kill differential. Cryocells contributed 65 kills and a 221 ACS, while skuba added 58 kills with a +14 differential. Timotino finished as NRG's best performer with 61 kills and an even K/D, but the collective firepower of 100 Thieves ultimately proved too much across the four-map series.

Nongshim RedForce Take Third Place

Earlier in the day, Nongshim RedForce secured third place after sweeping BBL Esports 2-0 in the consolation final. The Korean squad looked comfortable from the opening rounds on Breeze before carrying that momentum onto Lotus, where they repeatedly shut down BBL's attempts to regain control.

Dambi was the standout performer, ending the series with a 50/34/17 KDA, a tournament-best 302 ACS for the match, 199 ADR, 87% KAST, and a +16 kill differential. Veteran player Rb also played a major role with 39 kills and a +12 differential as Nongshim wrapped up the tournament on a high note.

Dota 2: Group Stage Heads Toward Playoffs

With VALORANT wrapped up, the Dota 2 group stage kept moving, and six series were played across the day as teams worked to lock in their playoff positioning.

LGD Gaming and Virtus.pro Sweep Their Series

Dota 2 action resumed immediately after the VALORANT final, with teams continuing their push toward the playoff bracket. LGD Gaming produced one of the cleaner performances of the day, dispatching Inner Circle 2-0. They controlled objectives well throughout both games and rarely allowed their opponents back into contention after establishing an early lead.

Virtus.pro also completed a 2-0 sweep over OG, although the series was considerably tighter. The opening game stayed close for much of its duration before Virtus.pro edged ahead during the late-game team fights. With momentum on their side, they closed out Game 2 to secure another important victory in the standings.

Team Yandex and Vici Gaming Move to 2-0

Team Yandex continued their impressive run by defeating 1W Team 2-0. Both games remained competitive through the early and mid-game stages, but Yandex consistently made the better late-game decisions, converting successful Roshan fights and objective control into series-clinching victories.

Vici Gaming matched that result with a 2-0 win over MOUZ. Both maps stretched into lengthy contests, yet Vici remained patient throughout. Their superior positioning in the final engagements proved decisive, allowing them to gradually pull ahead before closing out each game.

Rekonix Beat Team Nemesis

Southeast Asian representatives Rekonix earned one of their biggest victories of the tournament with a 2-0 sweep over Team Nemesis. The opening game turned into one of the day's longest battles, lasting 64 minutes before Rekonix finally broke through in the decisive late-game fights.

Riding that momentum, Rekonix approached Game 2 much more aggressively. They established an early advantage, controlled the map throughout the mid game, and never allowed Team Nemesis an opportunity to mount a comeback, completing the sweep in convincing fashion.

Team Spirit and PARIVISION Split the Series

One of the most closely watched series of the day ended in a 1-1 draw between Team Spirit and PARIVISION. PARIVISION struck first by taking Game 1 through disciplined team fighting and objective control, putting pressure on the reigning contenders.

Team Spirit responded in Game 2 behind another stellar performance from Yatoro. Playing Morphling, he finished with a 9/1/7 KDA and was instrumental in every major engagement, helping Spirit level the series and avoid dropping valuable points heading into the closing stages of the group phase.

TaiLung Wins High-Stakes Shadow Fiend Tiebreaker Against Abed

The day's most unusual matchup came in the form of a Shadow Fiend 1v1 tiebreaker between TaiLung and Abed. More than just an exhibition, the duel determined third and fourth place in Group D, directly impacting Survival Stage seeding. With a better finish on the line, the winner would avoid a tougher path in the next phase of the tournament.

Both players displayed exceptional mechanical skill throughout the matchup. Abed found early advantages by winning several trades during the laning phase, but TaiLung gradually turned the duel around through superior creep management, efficient wave control, and steady pressure on the tower. As the match progressed, TaiLung's ability to manipulate the lane gave him enough of an opening to transition from farming to an all-in push.

The deciding moment arrived around the 16-minute mark when TaiLung committed to the final siege, using a Blood Grenade to secure lethal damage while finishing off Abed's tower. The successful push sealed the victory and gave LGD Gaming third place in Group D, earning the team a more favorable position heading into the Survival Stage. Virtus.pro, represented by Abed in the tiebreaker, finished fourth in the group.

Full Results

Looking Ahead

With the VALORANT tournament officially concluded, the spotlight now shifts entirely to Dota 2. The remaining group stage matches will determine playoff seeding, with several heavyweights still battling for favorable positions in the knockout bracket.

Team Spirit, LGD Gaming, Team Yandex, Virtus.pro, and Vici Gaming remain among the teams to watch as the competition enters its decisive phase. Once the playoff bracket is finalized, every series becomes single-elimination, significantly raising the stakes in the race to become Esports World Cup 2026 champions.