NRG vs Nongshim RedForce: Best picks for VCT Champions 2026

Owen Harsono Published 24/09/2026

Two tournament favorites face off in the first round of the VCT Champions 2026 group stage, as NRG will take on Nongshim RedForce in their opening match. There is no room for slow starts at this event, making it an incredibly important match for both teams. Here are our NRG vs Nongshim RedForce predictions.

NRG vs Nongshim RedForce Match Preview

• Tournament: VCT Champions 2026
• Stage: Group Stage
• Game: Valorant
• Format: Best of 3

Betting tip: These two teams have only played against each other once, with Nongshim RedForce winning the series 2-0 in March 2026.

Our NRG vs Nongshim RedForce pick: Nongshim RedForce Match Winner @ 1.80 odds

NRG vs Nongshim RedForce Match Analysis

This matchup between NRG and Nongshim Red Force is easily the most exciting match we could possibly get in the VCT Champions 2026 group stage.

NRG are the defending champions and have looked very consistent all year. They’ve performed well in groups and consistently made deep runs at international events this year, and we should expect nothing different here in Shanghai.

Image via VCT Americas

Nongshim RedForce were the undisputed best Valorant team in the world at the start of the year, but have slowed down since their victory at VCT Masters Santiago. However, they’ve bounced back after a strong showing at VCT Pacific Stage 2, and are in good form for the biggest tournament of the year.

Overall, both teams are in decent shape heading into this event as reflected in our VCT Champions Power Ranking, but we do see gaps in one team’s map pool. NRG have set Split as their perma-ban, but also have terrible win rates on Abyss (0-3) and Sunset (0-5) in the past three months.

On the other hand, Nongshim have great records on Abyss (2-1) and Sunset (5-3). Additionally, Nongshim were also seen setting Lotus as one of their first-bans, which is also conveniently one of NRG’s strongest maps, allowing them to hit two birds with one stone.

These combinations give the South Korean side a coherent veto advantage heading into this series, which could make a big difference in a series this close.

NRG vs Nongshim RedForce Betting Odds Snapshot

Valorant betting odds via GG.BET.

NRG vs Nongshim RedForce Betting Picks and Predictions

We’re really getting treated to such a high-profile match this early into the event, as the matchup between NRG and Nongshim could easily be the grand final of the event. Both teams are among the best picks to win VCT Champions 2026, after all.

Image via VCT Pacific

It’s hard to pinpoint which team is in better form, as we are yet to see them play for two weeks. However, we believe the veto advantage Nongshim has over NRG is going to be the difference maker in the series, which is why we’re backing the former to win the match. The GGBET odds on Nongshim’s victory also look very juicy, making it an attractive pick.

On top of our Nongshim RedForce match winner prediction, we also think this series has very good potential to go the distance, leading us to take over 2.5 maps as our secondary choice.

NRG vs Nongshim RedForce Predictions

• Nongshim RedForce Match Winner @ 1.80 odds
• Over 2.5 Maps @ 1.91 odds

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.

View full profile

Read Also

Dota 2

BLAST SLAM VIII Finals predictions and preview Michael Hassall It’s been a long road, but after a strangely-formatted group stage, and a decidedly anticlimactic playoffs, we’re down to the final three teams in BLAST SLAM VIII. The finals are today (Oct. 11) and we’ll see the premier teams in Dota 2 clash. Perhaps disappointingly, we’re not seeing a new wave of top-teams at the pinnacle of Dota 2 competition, with the three final teams being the same trio we’ve ...

Esports Betting

NFL petitions U.S. Supreme Court for clarity on prediction markets Michael Hassall The heat is officially on for prediction market operators such as Kalshi and Polymarket as the NFL, one of the United States’ biggest sports leagues, is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in on the classification of prediction markets. In a brief filed late on Thursday (Oct. 8), the National Football League (NFL) backed the state of New Jersey’s request for the U.S.’s highest legal entity to review whether ...

League of Legends

LoL Worlds Prize Pool: How Much Is the 2026 Winner Getting? Hannan Mundia The 2026 League of Legends World Championship is about to begin and it is one of the game’s most anticipated tournament of the year. With 19 of the best teams battling it out, fans may wonder how large the 2026 Worlds LoL prize pool is. Being one of the largest esports games, it makes sense that there are multiple League of Legends tournaments throughout the year. Even setting the three ...

Dota 2

Who will prevail?: BLAST SLAM VIII Playoffs preview, predictions, and more Michael Hassall After a week of intense Group Stage, Last Chance and Seeding stage matches, and a few days of rest, BLAST SLAM VIII returns tomorrow (Oct. 8) with the Playoffs. If we’re honest, there haven’t been too many surprises. We’d liked to have seen a BetBoom or Team Liquid make the cut, but ultimately these aren’t the teams of earlier in the year, and with new rosters comes new uncertainty. That's ...

Dota 2

Dota 2’s new Tidehunter Arcana is mind-blowing, but prepare to spend $200+ to get it Michael Hassall Night owls in North America and early risers in Europe woke up to a brand new Dota 2 Arcana, the first new release of Dota’s rarest and most-coveted cosmetics since 2024. The recipient? Tidehunter, whose Maw of the Megladon Arcana transforms the already selachian sea-dweller into a full-blown shark. But while Arcana’s have traditionally been part of big events in Dota 2, either the now-discontinued Battle Passes, or most recently, ...

Valorant

VCT Champions 2026 Playoffs round 1 predictions: best picks Owen Harsono Top-tier Valorant is coming back, as the first round of the VCT Champions 2026 playoffs is about to begin. If you’re looking to trade on these matches, let’s go over what the prediction markets think, as well as who I believe are going to take each series. Opening the playoffs is a match between two international Valorant winners. NRG are of course looking to defend their title after winning VCT ...

Esports Betting

LeBron James will earn more from prediction markets than basketball this year Michael Hassall Superstar basketball player Lebron James will earn more from prediction markets this year than from playing ball thanks to his mind-blowing 15 million dollar Polymarket sponsorship. The deal has highlighted both the contentious issue of prediction markets and sport (and the true market value of a 41-year-old player) as one of the NBA’s biggest stars now clearly has more cultural cache off the court than the value of a teammate ...