Source: Riot Games

In the Alpha Group, Gen.G clinched the top seed for the playoffs, while Nongshim RedForce gained momentum with a 13-0 'perfect game.' Meanwhile, in the Omega Group, T1 and Kiwoom DRX faced setbacks, leading to mixed fortunes for the teams.

Riot Games, the developer and publisher of the 5v5 character-based tactical shooter 'VALORANT,' announced that the third week of the '2026 VCT Pacific Stage 2' took place from Thursday, July 30, to Sunday, August 2, at the Sangam SOOP Colosseum located in the S-Plex Center in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul.

Gen.G (GEN) defeated Global Esports (GE) to maintain a perfect 4-0 record, becoming the first team to secure a playoff spot as the top seed.

In the first set on 'Breeze,' Gen.G was caught off guard by GE's aggressive offensive and dropped the set 8-13. In the following set on 'Sunset,' Gen.G led the first half 8-4, but was pushed into overtime by GE's fierce pursuit, led by 'UdoTan' Ko Gyeong-won. Gen.G ultimately forced a decider after 't3xture' Kim Na-ra pulled off a clutch play to win the second set 14-12. With the final set on 'Summit' determining the winner, the two teams remained locked in a tight battle until 11-11. At that point, 'Karon' Kim Won-tae shut down GE's momentum with precise aim, securing a 13-11 victory for Gen.G and extending their undefeated streak in Stage 2.

With this win, Gen.G locked in first place in the Alpha Group and became the first team to punch their ticket to the Stage 2 playoffs. As the group leader, Gen.G also secured the competitive advantage of starting the playoffs in the second round of the upper bracket.

Nongshim RedForce (NS) climbed to second place in the Alpha Group after a stunning 2-1 comeback victory against ZETA DIVISION (ZETA), highlighted by a 13-0 'perfect game' in the third set.

The first and second sets were back-and-forth battles, with each team taking one. ZETA took the lead by winning the first set 13-10, but Nongshim RedForce responded in the second set, winning 15-13 after an overtime thriller fueled by key plays from 'Ivy' Park Seong-hyeon.

Unlike the intense previous sets, Nongshim RedForce’s explosive firepower took over in the third set. They completed their comeback by sweeping ZETA 13-0, not dropping a single round.

With this result, Nongshim RedForce joins GE and ZETA in the 2-2 record tier of the Alpha Group. The final direct playoff ticket and the top-tier rankings will be decided in the fourth and final week of the group stage.

The Omega Group saw a series of unexpected results. T1 fell victim to another upset against DetonatioN FocusMe (DFM), and the match between Kiwoom DRX (KRX) and Valiant (VL) also ended in a comeback victory for VL after a full set battle.

T1 had a shaky start, overwhelmed by DFM's momentum from the first set. Trailing 3-9 in the first half, T1 could not close the gap and lost the first set. In the second set, T1 launched a fierce attack, maintaining their 8-4 first-half lead to tie the match. While DFM attempted a comeback led by 'Akame' Yu Gwang-hui, T1 breathed a sigh of relief after 'BuZz' Yu Byeong-cheol won a crucial 1-on-1 situation. However, in the decisive third set, T1 collapsed 5-13 against key plays from DFM, ending their third week with a loss and a 2-2 record.

Kiwoom DRX started strong in their match against VL, winning the first set on 'Summit' 13-6 with an overwhelming performance that included nine consecutive round wins. However, VL began their counterattack in the second set. Tied at 7-7, VL showed incredible resilience to win consecutive points and take the set 13-8. In the pivotal third set on 'Haven,' VL led the first half 7-5. Although Kiwoom DRX fought back to take a 9-7 lead in the second half, VL remained composed and secured a 13-10 victory. With this loss, Kiwoom DRX remains at 1-3, while VL earned valuable points to move up to second place in the Omega Group.

The 2026 VCT Pacific Stage 2 is broadcast live on online platforms including YouTube, Chzzk, and SOOP. More information on the tournament schedule and results can be found on the official website, official Flickr, Instagram, and TikTok.