9z secured a historic place in the XSE Pro League Guangzhou 2026 grand final after defeating Alliance 2-1 in a thrilling semifinal. The South American squad recovered from a marathon loss on Inferno to dominate the decider on Ancient, earning the organization’s first-ever appearance in a Tier-1 grand final.
Road to the final
9z have been one of the tournament’s biggest success stories. After opening the Swiss Stage with a loss to EYEBALLERS and 9z later, they bounced back with victories over SINNERS, 3DMAX, and MIBR to reach the playoffs. In the knockout stage, they eliminated TYLOO in the quarterfinals before overcoming Alliance to secure a historic place in the grand final.
Alliance also impressed throughout the event. The Swedish squad advanced through the Swiss Stage with wins over Ninjas in Pyjamas, B8, and 9z, then defeated Nemesis in the quarterfinals. Their tournament ends in the semifinals after falling just one map short of the final.
read more
9z edge out Alliance in three-map battle
The series began on Nuke, 9z’s map pick, where the South American side controlled the pace from the opening rounds and secured a 13-10 victory behind another solid team performance.
Alliance refused to go quietly on Inferno. After one of the closest maps of the tournament, the Swedish squad survived multiple pressure situations to claim a 19-17 overtime win, forcing the semifinal to a deciding map.
Ancient, however, belonged entirely to 9z. They built an early advantage, shut down every comeback attempt from Alliance, and closed the map 13-7 to win the series 2-1.
Map results
- Nuke: 9z 13-10 Alliance
- Inferno: Alliance 19-17 9z (OT)
- Ancient: 9z 13-7 Alliance
luchov powers 9z into the final
Luciano “luchov” Herrera was named Player of the Match after another outstanding series. Across three maps, he recorded 65 kills, 93.7 ADR, and a 1.30 rating, providing consistent impact throughout the semifinal.
Ignacio “meyern” Meyer also played a key role with a 1.26 rating, while Franco “dgt” Garcia added a 1.20 rating. For Alliance, Sean “eraa” Knutsson was the team’s best performer with 58 kills and a 1.11 rating, but the rest of the Swedish lineup struggled to match 9z’s firepower on the deciding map.
Community reaction
9z celebrated a landmark achievement on social media after the victory:
FINALISTS OF THE XSE PRO LEAGUE 2026. We defeated Alliance 2-1 and for the first time in our history we advance to the Final of a Tier-S tournament.
Alliance player Arvid “avid” Åberg reflected on the defeat while thanking the fans:
Lost 1-2 vs 9zTeam, it was a close game but we couldn’t get over the finish line. Thank you to everyone cheering in the crowd and from home, it means a lot.
VRS update
The victory also strengthened 9z’s position in the Valve Regional Standings. The South American team gained 20 VRS points, climbing from No. 10 to No. 8, while Alliance lost 6 points and dropped from No. 19 to No. 21.
read more
What’s next?
With the win, 9z advance to the XSE Pro League Guangzhou 2026 Grand Final, where they will compete for the championship and the organization’s first Tier-1 trophy. Alliance conclude an impressive tournament run in the semifinals after establishing themselves as one of the breakout teams of the event.
