Source: The Esports Foundation

The Esports Foundation (EF) announced that 100 Thieves won the VALORANT tournament at the Esports World Cup 2026 (EWC 2026) after defeating NRG Esports 3-1 in the finals. 100 Thieves will receive $600k in prize money and 1k Club Championship points.

Peter "Asuna" Mazuryk, who has been with 100 Thieves for over five years since joining at age 17, lifted his first major international trophy with this victory. Having spent most of his professional VALORANT career with the organization, he finally achieved this long-awaited international title after the team rebuilt its core roster around promising young talent. "We have a great coaching staff and an excellent in-game leader, and the chemistry between the players was fantastic," said Mazuryk. "It took us some time to really hit our stride, but I'm glad we were able to perform at our best when it mattered most."

100 Thieves took the first two maps in the best-of-five final. NRG Esports avoided a sweep by winning the third map, Haven, and held a 9-3 lead on the fourth map, Ascent, appearing poised to force a deciding fifth map. However, led by rookie in-game leader Jordan "vora" Pulwer, 100 Thieves staged a dramatic comeback to force overtime, ultimately securing the win with a final score of 14-12. "It’s an incredible feeling," said Pulwer. "I wouldn't be here without the trust of my teammates and coaches, and I’m so happy we could show everyone in front of this massive crowd that we are a great team."

100 Thieves secured their spot in the playoffs after going 2-0 in the Group Stage. They went on to defeat the star-studded MIBR.LOS in the quarterfinals and overcame Masters Santiago champions Nongshim RedForce in the semifinals to reach the final.

Matthew "Cryocells" Panganiban was awarded the Sony MVP Award for his performance throughout the tournament. He delivered an exceptional performance in the final against NRG Esports, recording 65 kills and 25 assists. "It feels great, but I still don't think I reached the level of performance I expected from myself," said Panganiban. "I’ve faced a lot of self-doubt throughout my career because I hadn't lifted a trophy in so long, but this proves you should never stop believing in yourself and the people around you."

In the third-place match held prior to the finals, Nongshim RedForce defeated BBL Esports in a close contest to secure third place. Although BBL Esports finished fourth, they delivered an impressive performance for the fans in Paris. In particular, 18-year-old Yusuf "Lar0k" Kanber showed great potential to grow into a top-tier player with his outstanding performance throughout the tournament.

More information about EWC 2026 can be found on the official website and the Esports Foundation's LinkedIn page.