The Game Changers Championship in São Paulo has reached its sharpest stage. With the field cut down to four teams, MIBR GC and KRÜ BLAZE both survived Lower Round 3 on Thursday and now have to play each other for a place in the lower final. For anyone following the Valorant scene, it is the most compelling pairing left in the lower bracket.
Two clean sweeps in Lower Round 3
Both results were decisive. KRÜ BLAZE beat Team Liquid Brazil 2–0, and MIBR GC took down SK Nebula by the same scoreline. Neither winner dropped a map, which says a lot about how in-form they are at this stage of the event. Team Liquid Brazil and SK Nebula, who had themselves fought through elimination matches earlier in the week, are out of the tournament.
The Championship runs from October 22 to November 2, so the business end is arriving fast. A sweep in an elimination game does more than save a season: it also spares a roster from burning through its map pool and its energy before a decisive series.
What is still to play
The next elimination match is KRÜ BLAZE versus MIBR GC in Lower Round 4, scheduled for 4:00 PM CDT. The winner moves on to the lower final, the loser goes home. Before that, the upper final pits Gentle Mates GC against Shopify Rebellion Gold at 1:00 PM CDT, with the winner heading straight to the grand final. The lower final and the grand final are still waiting on their participants.
Gentle Mates GC are an interesting case. The organisation has been in the news this week for parting with its full roster and coaching staff, which makes the current run feel like the end of an era rather than the start of one. Whatever happens in the upper final, it will be one of the last times that group appears together.
Offseason noise keeps growing
The Game Changers bracket is not the only thing moving on the Valorant calendar. Natus Vincere announced that it is not keeping its 2026 lineup, and NaturE is leaving Shopify Rebellion Black as a free agent. Paper Rex have also confirmed that Wendler is leaving after almost a year, and Team Vitality have parted with Derke. Taken together, the headlines show how quickly teams are already repositioning for 2027.
What to watch
MIBR GC and KRÜ BLAZE both arrive with momentum, so the Lower Round 4 series should be tight. Early maps and the first few rounds on each side will likely tell the story, since neither team has shown signs of struggling under elimination pressure. Fans who like to back a favourite will also want to compare esports betting bonuses before the matches start, though it is wise to bet only what you can afford to lose and to treat any promotion as entertainment rather than income.
Whoever advances will face the next challenge immediately, with the grand final still unclaimed and only a few days of play left in São Paulo.
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