T1 and DRX kept their hopes alive while Gen.G exited early as Week 3 of the 2026 VALORANT Champions Tour Pacific Kickoff wrapped up, setting the stage for the tournament’s final phase.

The third week marked the final stretch before Finals Week, with matches determining which teams would remain in contention for spots at Masters Santiago. Play took place from Thursday through Sunday at the SOOP Coliseum in Seoul, where several series went the distance and momentum shifted repeatedly.

T1 emerged as one of the week’s biggest winners after rallying to defeat Paper Rex 2–1 in a Mid Bracket Round 3 matchup. After dropping the opening map, T1 steadied its play and controlled the tempo in the next two games, completing the comeback to advance. The win secured T1 a place in the Mid Bracket Final and kept the team in contention for the tournament’s No. 2 seed.

Paper Rex opened the series strongly, capitalizing on late-round conversions in the first map. From there, T1 adjusted its approach, finding early advantages and maintaining composure in key moments. The deciding map on Bind proved tightly contested, but T1 pulled ahead late behind a series of clutch rounds to close out the match.

2026 VCT Pacific Kickoff – Week 3 Roundup

In the Lower Bracket, DRX delivered a strong response to elimination pressure with two consecutive victories. DRX first edged out ZETA DIVISION 2–1 on Saturday before sweeping Full Sense 2–0 the following day. The results made DRX the last remaining team in the Lower Bracket heading into Finals Week.

Against ZETA DIVISION, DRX claimed the opening map, stumbled in the second, and then regrouped to take control late in the series decider. The team carried that form into Sunday’s match, limiting Full Sense’s opportunities and closing both maps without dropping a set. Song “HYUNMIN” Hyun-min was named match MVP in both series after leading DRX in kills.

Gen.G’s tournament run ended earlier than hoped. After surviving Lower Bracket Round 1 with a 2–1 win over BBL Esports, Gen.G fell 2–1 to Global Esports in Round 2. Gen.G won the opening map in overtime but was unable to maintain momentum, dropping the final two maps and exiting the event.

By the end of Week 3, six of the original 12 teams remained. With Finals Week approaching, only three will ultimately qualify for Masters Santiago.