G2 out of VCT Masters London with zero wins despite early celebrations

Owen Harsono Published 15/06/2026

G2 Esports, one of the highest-ranked teams coming into VCT Masters London 2026, have been eliminated from the playoffs without a single series win. The team also supposedly had an easy path to the top three but completely fumbled the bag. It’s time some uncomfortable conversations were had about this team

Never celebrate too early

After dominating VCT Americas Stage 1, G2 booked their spot at VCT Masters London as the region’s number one seed, meaning they got to skip the Swiss Stage and select their first opponent in the playoffs.

During the live seeding draws, footage surfaced of G2 celebrating and giving each other high fives after getting first pick, meaning they could choose the most comfortable opponents. As a result, the team selected Xi Lai Gaming – one of the weaker teams at the event.

Despite coming in as heavy favorites, G2 still bottled the series, getting reverse swept 1-2. This meant they lost to the opponents they selected and were sent down the lower bracket.

Image credit: Colin Young Wolff / Riot Games

Going home without a win

In the lower bracket, G2 were tasked to face an inexperienced FUT Esports lineup in a do-or-die match. The Turkish squad has several international rookies, while G2’s team was filled with veterans who have been in these situations before. Experience aside, the North American squad still entered the series as the better team on paper.

The team’s individuals didn’t show up, and the match ended 2-0 in favor of FUT. G2 had opportunities to force a decider but couldn’t get the job done on the second map after fumbling match point on Lotus.

These results meant G2 flew all the way to London, played two Best of 3 matches, and found themselves going back home without a single series win – even when they were favored to win both matches.

When is G2’s time coming?

G2 have been a top-tier squad for several years now. They would always dominate domestically but could never find success internationally.

The team had their chance at VCT Masters Bangkok in 2025 but couldn’t cross the finish line after losing 2-3 in the grand final against T1. Since then, G2 are yet to claim another podium finish, finding themselves in fourth place at VCT Masters Toronto 2025 and VCT Masters Santiago 2026. And this time, their London campaign was even more disappointing.

Meanwhile, the teams they easily beat regionally would consistently outperform them internationally. For example, NRG at VCT Champions 2025 – winning the entire event. And now, Leviatan are still competing in VCT Masters London while G2 were already sent packing.

Image credit: Colin Young Wolff / Riot Games

There’s no doubt G2 have some incredibly talented and skilled Valorant players, but this issue at international events cannot be ignored. The team tried bringing in Andrej “babybay” Francisty, but the same problems still arise.

The squad will likely see the season until the end and stick together for VCT Champions 2026, but if that’s another failure, more roster changes should be on the horizon.

Featured image credit: Colin Young Wolff / Riot Games

Owen Harsono

About Owen Harsono

Owen lives for competition, spending most of his gaming hours on Dota 2, CS2, and Valorant. A regular on the SEA Dota 2 leaderboards, he combines his first-hand experience with a deep passion for esports journalism, following the professional scenes of all three esports betting titles religiously. When he’s not writing, he’s most probably betting on esports and watching the latest events.

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