T1 Eliminates Fut Esports Champions Shanghai Playoffs [2026 Update]

As originally reported by VLR.gg, Korean representative T1 swept Turkish squad FUT Esports 2-0 in the decisive final elimination series of the group stage at Champions Shanghai. The victory marks a monumental milestone for the organization, securing T1's first-ever playoff appearance in Valorant Champions history while officially knocking FUT Esports out of international contention. The elimination match kicked off on Sunset, a map pick from T1 that neither team had contested in over two months. FUT Esports fielded a high-tempo double-Duelist lineup featuring Waylay and Neon. However, T1 countered with an orthodox double-Sentinel setup, utilizing Meteor on Chamber alongside Munchkin on Sage—a strategic configuration previously tested in their regional battles against elite squads. Similar to how , disciplined tactical execution shut down hyper-aggressive pushes. T1 neutralized FUT's early A-main aggression to secure the pistol and bonus rounds. A pivotal 1v4 clutch by iZu in round six shattered FUT's economic momentum, establishing an early 5-1 lead. FUT clawed back to a 7-5 deficit at halftime, but T1 ultimately closed out the series cleanly.