In their inaugural Championship appearance, Gentle Mates GC triumphed over Shopify Rebellion Gold with a score of 2-1 during the upper bracket final held in São Paulo. Entering the best-of-five grand final on Sunday, the French squad enjoys a two-map ban advantage, while Shopify Rebellion Gold is set to tackle the lower final.
Gentle Mates GC have secured their place in the grand final of the VCT Game Changers Championship 2026. They overcame Shopify Rebellion Gold 2-1 in the upper bracket final in São Paulo on Friday, October 30. The French squad initially lost the first map but rallied to win the subsequent two, with both teams arriving at this face-off boasting victories on every map throughout the event.
Shopify Rebellion Gold won the first map, which extended for 53 minutes. In the following map, they managed to claw back to a tied score of 10-10, but Gentle Mates ultimately sealed the win at 13-11 after a grueling 55-minute battle. The decisive map on Summit lasted 57 minutes and concluded with a score of 13-10 in favor of Gentle Mates.
Advancing through the upper bracket grants Gentle Mates a two-map ban advantage going into the grand final. Shopify Rebellion Gold, under the guidance of interim in-game leader alexis, will drop to the lower bracket final against KRÜ Blaze.
Unbeaten debutants at the Championship in São Paulo
This marks Gentle Mates’ first venture into the Championship scene. Their squad, composed of Marti, Nami, Wens, tokameite, and berryx, reached the upper final with convincing 2-0 victories over Team Liquid Brazil and MIBR GC. Their recent results prior to the event in EMEA Stage 3 include wins over G2 Gozen and SK Nebula, both with scores of 2-1, and a narrow 3-2 defeat to G2 Gozen.
The Elo power rankings have already placed Gentle Mates in a favorable position. They currently hold the fourth spot with a rating of 1844 and a record of 33 wins to 7 losses across 40 rated matches. Meanwhile, Shopify Rebellion Gold ranks sixth with a rating of 1809, holding a record of 40 wins to 20 losses from 60 rated matches.
Shopify Rebellion Gold had similarly dominated SK Nebula and KRÜ Blaze without dropping any maps. Before their travel, they also defeated FlyQuest RED with scores of 3-1 and 2-1, as well as SwimTrek Blue 2-0 during North America Stage 2. Last year’s Championship in Seoul saw Team Liquid Brazil take the title, besting them 3-2 in the finals.
KRÜ Blaze stands in the way for Shopify Rebellion Gold again
The lower bracket final sets up a rematch between the two sides. Shopify Rebellion Gold previously triumphed over KRÜ Blaze in the upper semi-final. KRÜ Blaze earned their spot in the finals by winning in the lower bracket against Team Liquid Brazil and MIBR GC, both without losing a single map. MIBR GC concluded their journey in fourth place, earning $50,000. SK Nebula, representing one of three EMEA teams in São Paulo, finished ranked joint fifth to sixth, taking home $25,000. Their roster included Scottish player fluxxy.
Finishing in third place awards $70,000. The lower bracket final and grand final will both be played in a best-of-five format, contrasting the best-of-three series format in earlier rounds of the double-elimination bracket. Ten teams entered the competition at Riot Games Arena, which will mark the final standalone Game Changers Championship before it relocates to Austin, Texas in 2027. For the first time, the Championship will be held concurrently with VALORANT Champions in the same city, scheduled from September 16 to October 10.
The clash between Shopify Rebellion Gold and KRÜ Blaze is set for Saturday, October 31, at 15:00 BRT in the lower bracket final. The winner will advance to face Gentle Mates GC in the grand final on Sunday, November 1, at 15:00 BRT.
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