The VCT Americas League 2023 is officially concluding, with only two teams remaining in contention to win the trophy. The three teams heading to VCT Masters 2023: Tokyo and Valorant Champions 2023 have been finalized. One final match remains in the bracket stage, with the Grand Finals between LOUD and NRG deciding the inaugural champion of the VCT Americas League.
The winner of this matchup will take home prize money of $100,000. The champs will also skip the group stages of Masters 2023: Tokyo and secure a straight bye to the bracket stage as the number one seed from the Americas region.
LOUD vs NRG - Who will become the first champion of the VCT Americas League?
Predictions
LOUD have looked like the strongest team in the VCT Americas so far. An 8-1 record in the regular season followed by an undefeated run in the playoffs has earned them a lot of praise from pundits and fans. Their playoffs run has featured exceptional individual skill, clean communication, and smart decision-making.
NRG have a star-studded roster and are one of the best teams in the world, with talented players in every role. They have had a great run in the bracket stages and shown exceptional mental resilience in several close games throughout the playoffs. NRG are fearsome opponents and can beat any team when in form.
Predicting the winner of the Grand Finals of the VCT Americas 2023 is challenging as both teams are evenly matched in terms of skill and experience. However, the matchup favors LOUD as they have showcased more discipline and consistency during the playoffs compared to NRG's chaotic, nail-biting games.
Head-to-head
LOUD and NRG have met twice in the 2023 VCT season. The first match was at the VCT LOCK//IN where LOUD won a thrillingly close series 2-1. In the second match, NRG handed LOUD their first defeat in the regular season via a 2-0 result, placing the head-to-head record between them at 1-1.
Recent results
LOUD have not lost a single match so far in the brackets stage. They picked up wins against regional rivals, FURIA Esports, and rising underdogs, Evil Geniuses to advance straight to the Grand Finals.
NRG struggled in the bracket stage, losing to Evil Geniuses. However, they bounced back and corrected their errors to make the lower bracket run a reality. They defeated FURIA Esports, Cloud9, and Evil Geniuses to reach the Grand Finals.
Expected lineups
LOUD
- Erick "aspas" Santos
- Felipe "Less" Basso
- Matias "saadhak" Delipetro (IGL)
- Cauan "cauanzin" Pereira
- Arthur "tuyz" Vieira
- Daniel "fRoD" Montaner (Coach)
NRG Esports
- Pujan "FiNESSE" Mehta (IGL)
- Sam "s0m" Oh
- Austin "crashies" Roberts
- Ardis "ardiis" Svarenieks
- Victor "Victor" Wong
- Chet "Chet" Singh (Coach)
When and where to watch
Fans can watch the Grand Finals of the Americas League playoffs between LOUD and NRG on the official Valorant Americas Twitch and YouTube channels. The matchup will also be streamed in other languages, such as Spanish and Portuguese.
LOUD will face off against NRG on May 28, 2023, at 1 pm PDT / 10 pm CEST / 1:30 am IST (May 29, 2023)