LOUD vs 100 Thieves VCT Americas Kickoff: Preview, predictions

Hannan Mundia Published 22/01/2026

The 2026 VCT Americas Kickoff’s mid bracket will kick off with a match between LOUD and 100 Thieves, and we’re here to preview this anticipated match and give our best predictions and picks for it.

LOUD and 100 Thieves have both been knocked down to the event’s mid bracket, where the two teams will now compete against each other. The winning team will go down to the lower bracket and face elimination, while the winner will continue in this relatively safe bracket and have retain a decent chance to qualify for Masters Santiago.

LOUD vs 100 Thieves match preview

• Tournament: 2026 VCT Americas Kickoff
• Stage: Playoffs
• Game: Valorant
• Format: Best-of-three

Betting tip: 100 Thieves has shown better skill and consistency than has LOUD, and there’s a good chance that the team could win here without letting the match go to a third map.

Our LOUD vs 100 Thieves pick: Total maps to be under 2.5 @ 3.15.

LOUD vs 100 Thieves match analysis

Unfortunately for LOUD, the team has established itself as one of the weaker contenders at VCT Americas this year. The team may have lukxo, who always carries his weight and stands out in just about every match, but the rest of his team constantly leaves much to be desired.

Darker is an excellent addition to the team, but he hasn’t had the time to settle into the roster, resulting in some uncharacteristically poor decision-making such as what fans saw in his match against Cloud9, where he pulled back in fights that demanded more aggressiveness.

By contrast, 100 Thieves has the potential to be one of the top contenders this year. While the team hasn’t gotten the chance to get fully accustomed to playing alongside each other, Cryocells, bang, and Asuna are all reliable players who have already proven their individual skills. Seeing a team formed around these three players suggests that there’s real potential for this squad and for it to give some of the favorites a run for their money.

LOUD 2026 VCT Kickoff roster – Image credit: LOUD

100 Thieves has raw aim in spades, and that’s exactly what pistol rounds need. Siding with 100 Thieves’ odds to win pistol rounds may be a good idea.

LOUD may have the ever-reliable lukxo and the capable Darker, but it wouldn’t be surprising if the team loses without taking even one map. Taking the under on 2.5 maps could be a strong pick for this match, especially considering the fairly high return on the odds of only two maps are played.

Ultimately, LOUD just doesn’t look to have the firepower to take down a strong team like 100 Thieves. 100T may have lost a map against Leviatán, but that was seemingly because of the inexperience of the new roster. When it comes to this match, there’s a good chance that 100 Thieves will come out on top to continue progressing in the middle bracket.

Key stats

LOUD vs 100 Thieves betting odds snapshot

Valorant betting odds via GG.BET, 12:20 pm ET January 22, 2026.

LOUD vs 100 Thieves betting picks & predictions

Many are anticipating how far 100 Thieves can go this year, and it’s no surprise why. The team has some truly capable players on its roster, leading many to believe it could become a superteam in the near future to compete against the likes of MIBR, NRG, and G2 Esports in the Americas.

LOUD hasn’t shown any real promise since early 2024, and it shows no signs of bouncing back to the top of VCT Americas.

Best picks

• 100 Thieves to win pistol rounds @ 1.97: 100 Thieves’ players bring a level of raw aim and technique that most of LOUD’s current roster can’t match.
• Total maps to be under 2.5 @ 3.15: LOUD’s performance against Cloud9 didn’t give the impression that the team could win even one map against the equally capable 100 Thieves.

LOUD vs 100 Thieves prediction

Our LOUD vs 100 Thieves prediction: 100 Thieves to win 2-0 @ 1.5 odds at GG.BET.

Feature image credit: 100 Thieves

Hannan Mundia

About Hannan Mundia

Hannan Mundia is a lifelong gamer. Don’t believe us? Just ask him. But don’t ask how many hours he’s spent playing. He’s been gaming since the age of three, and much of his live revolves around video games and the video game industry. Whether it’s a classic Legend of Zelda game from Nintendo, the newest Bethesda RPG, or something else entirely, you can bet that Hannan is ready and willing to play it.

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