“We weren’t ready for that 2‑1 comeback,” Sentinels’ captain ShahZam said after a jaw‑dropping reverse sweep over Cloud9 in the quarterfinals.
The Valorant Esports World Cup 2027 kicks off June 12 in Berlin, Germany, and 16 elite squads will clash for a $1 million prize pool. The event runs through July 5, with group play, double‑elimination playoffs, and a best‑of‑5 Grand Final.
Format: Four groups of four play a best‑of‑3 round‑robin. Top two from each group advance to a double‑elimination bracket. All knockout matches are best‑of‑3 except the final, which is best‑of‑5.
Teams to watch: Team Liquid (NA), Fnatic (EU), Sentinels (NA), Cloud9 (NA), DRX (KR), and Paper Rex (SEA). Brazil’s LOUD made a surprise roster swap, benching veteran cage for rookie yuurih. Korea’s Gen.G announced a coaching change—coach Jin “Biscuit” Hoon steps down after two seasons.
And the map pool got a shake‑up: Breeze replaces Fracture, giving aggressive teams a fresh arena (casual). But the ban phase is now a blind pick, forcing captains to read opponents on the fly. So the meta is shifting faster than ever. I watched the stream late night and could feel the tension rise with every clutch. Because the new format rewards early‑round wins, teams are playing tighter than a headshot at 300 p.
“The new blind‑pick bans force you to think two steps ahead—no more safe‑guarding your favorite map,” said veteran analyst cNade.
This is the greatest upset of the year.
They were down 0‑2 — which looked like a guaranteed loss — but they reverse swept the entire series.
Absolute chaos.
Pure domination.
A massive choke.
The Bottom Line
- Sentinels advanced to the semifinals after a 3‑2 reverse sweep.
- Prize pool remains at $1 million, with $500K for the winner.
- Map pool change adds Breeze, removes Fracture.
- Blind‑pick bans now standard for all knockout rounds.
For more on roster moves, check out Zeus Rejects Hanwha Life Esports Renewal and the Steam Deck Mods Turn SteamOS Into PS5 articles.
Read the full bracket and stats on Liquipedia.
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