Team Vitality Outlasts Nongshim Valorant Champions 2026 Upper Semifinals [Valorant VCT]

As originally reported by VLR.gg, EMEA top seed Team Vitality secured a crucial 2-1 victory over Korean outfit Nongshim RedForce in the Valorant Champions 2026 upper bracket quarterfinals in Shanghai. The high-stakes playoff series broke the recent trend of upper bracket sweeps, standing as the only match in the round requiring a third map decider. Vitality opened the series decisively on Split, capturing Nongshim's map selection with a commanding 13-8 performance powered by sharp retakes. However, Nongshim RedForce retaliated aggressively on Abyss, dominating Vitality 13-4 to force the decider. The final battle unfolded on Haven, a map where Nongshim had previously posted dominant regional metrics. In a dramatic back-and-forth contest, Vitality clutched crucial overtime rounds to close out the series 14-12. This pivotal result establishes Vitality as EMEA’s lone survivor in the upper bracket while reflecting broader competitive shifts in global esports tournaments, echoing trends seen when across international markets.