100 Thieves returned to the international VALORANT stage with a 2-0 win over T1 in their Group A opener at VALORANT Champions Shanghai. The official tournament account called it a “clean sweep,” and the score line backed up the label: 100 Thieves won both maps without needing the best-of-three's decider.
Champions is the final event of the 2026 VALORANT Champions Tour. The Shanghai tournament runs from Sept. 24 through Oct. 19 and carries a $2.25 million prize pool.
T1 chose Summit after banning Split, but 100 Thieves took the opponent's pick 13-8. The teams were tied 5-5 after 10 rounds before 100 Thieves won eight of the remaining 11 to close the map.
On Ascent, the map 100 Thieves selected, the Americas squad built a 7-5 halftime lead and finished 13-9. Sunset remained as the unplayed decider.
Cryocells sets the pace
VLR's match record lists Cryocells as the series' leading scorer with 45 kills across Summit and Ascent. He recorded 26 kills on Summit and 19 on Ascent, finishing with a plus-22 kill differential and no first deaths.
The rest of 100 Thieves supplied enough pressure to keep both maps out of T1's reach. Timotino finished with 39 kills, while bang posted a plus-12 differential. T1's best aggregate kill total came from Meteor with 31, but every T1 player finished the series with a negative kill differential.
The sweep moves 100 Thieves forward
This was an opening match, not a knockout result or the championship itself. The win moves 100 Thieves into the Group A winners' match against FUT Esports on Sept. 30. FUT also swept its opener, beating JD Gaming 2-0.
T1 drops into the elimination side of the group and is scheduled to face JD Gaming on Oct. 2. The winner of 100 Thieves versus FUT will qualify from Group A; the loser gets another route through the deciding match.
