November 17, 2025 — G2 Esports has once again lifted the Red Bull Home Ground trophy after delivering a flawless 3–0 sweep against NRG in the Grand Final of this year’s event. The victory marks G2’s second Home Ground championship, their first coming all the way back in the tournament’s 2021 debut.
The annual off-season VALORANT event, hosted by Red Bull, returned to New York City this year. From November 13–16, the historic Hammerstein Ballroom played home to a packed schedule of matches as top teams from around the world battled through play-ins and a double-elimination bracket.
While eight teams earned direct invitations to the Main Event, eleven others had to prove themselves in the Play-In Stage. Once the dust settled, ten rosters—including fan favorites Cloud9 and T1—clashed in a bracket that featured best-of-ones up until the final three matches.
A Rocky Start Turns Into a Lower Bracket Charge
For G2, the tournament was as dramatic as it was rewarding. The team entered the event shortly after announcing the departure of Jonah “JonahP” Pulice. His spot was filled by Andrej “babybay” Francisty, who had previously stood in for Nathan “leaf” Orf during VCT Americas Stage 2—and is widely rumored to be part of G2’s 2026 lineup.
But the new roster didn’t settle in immediately. G2 stumbled in their opening match, taking a surprising 7–13 loss to Japan’s ZETA DIVISION and dropping into the lower bracket earlier than expected.
What followed, however, was the kind of run fans remember.
G2 fought through Cloud9 (13–11), Sentinels (13–8), and EMEA giants Fnatic (15–13), clawing their way back into contention. In the Lower Bracket Final, they met ZETA DIVISION once more—this time sweeping them 2–0 to punch their ticket to the Grand Final.
A One-Sided Grand Final Against an Unbeaten NRG
Their final opponent was none other than NRG—the reigning VALORANT Champions 2025 winners—who came into the series undefeated. NRG had also debuted their new 2026 roster in New York, featuring Georgio “keiko” Sanassy in place of Sam “s0m” Oh, who is currently on a competitive break.
Despite NRG’s strong form throughout the tournament, they struggled to find footing against a surging G2.
The opening map, Corrode, told the story of the series: NRG surged ahead to an 8–1 lead before G2 mounted a stunning comeback, closing out the map 13–10 and becoming the first team to hand NRG a loss on Corrode the entire event.
From that point onward, G2 didn’t look back.
Split: G2 dominated with a 13–4 win
Pearl: G2 closed the series comfortably at 13–7
With the clean sweep, G2 secured their second Red Bull Home Ground title in style.
jawgemo Steals the Spotlight
One of the biggest standout performances came from Alexander “jawgemo” Mor. The duelist star topped the scoreboard across the Grand Final, posting a 54/37/11 KDA with a 241 ACS, solidifying his role as a key part of G2’s championship run.
G2’s victory not only gives them another Home Ground trophy but also sets the tone for their 2026 VCT season—especially as roster changes loom. If this tournament is any indication, the team’s confidence and synergy may be stronger than ever.
