A team that got its start through a Net Café Tournament just went toe-to-toe with the best VALORANT squads on the planet. Xi Lai Gaming, better known as XLG, wrapped up a 7th-8th place finish at VALORANT Masters London 2026, and the run included one of the tournament’s biggest upsets along the way.
The G2 upset that turned heads
On June 13, XLG pulled off a 2-1 victory over G2 Esports, the reigning champions from the Americas region.
The match opened on Lotus, where G2 took the map 13-7. On Ascent, XLG dominated with a 13-4 scoreline. Split, the decider, saw XLG close it out 13-9. The roster of WsLeo, Lysoar, NoMan, Rarga, and happywei, coached by hvoya and Steady, played with the kind of composure you don’t usually see from teams making their first deep international run.
From Net Cafés to the Copper Box Arena
