Japan's UNLIMIT (Photo EWC)
A fierce battle unfolded at the ALGS 2026 Split 1 Playoffs Match Point Finals, with 11 teams reaching Match Point before Japan’s UNLIMIT finally sealed the championship in Game 10.
The victory at the Esports World Cup (EWC) marks the young squad’s first S-tier Apex Legends tournament win and earns the club $600,000 in prize money.
While Japan is considered a second home for Apex Legends, the young APAC North squad UNLIMIT entered the tournament as an under-the-radar contender. The trio narrowly avoided the Survivor Stage after a tiebreaker with Virtus.pro sent them directly to the Finals.
“I didn’t have a great start in the beginning, but my teammates are the greatest in the world,” said UNLIMIT captain Xtsuvi while overcome with emotion after the victory. “They carried me all the way through, and I’m ecstatic that I can share this moment with them.”
UNLIMIT endured a slow start in the Finals, securing their first match win only in Game 7. Sentinels threatened to steal the championship after reaching Match Point, but the Japanese squad kept its title hopes alive, surviving a tense final-ring battle against Sentinels and Team RRQ to extend the series.
The championship went down to the wire, with three more games needed before a winner emerged. In the final showdown on World’s Edge, UNLIMIT faced off against Wolves Esports and fellow Japanese squad ZETA Division, delivering a clutch performance to secure their second match win of the series and claim the ALGS Split 1 Championship.
“I thought I was in a dream when we won our final match, but I soon realized that our win was very real,” said Peace, who earned MVP honors for his impact throughout the Finals.
UNLIMIT’s EWC championship is only the beginning of their 2026 campaign. The Apex Legends Global Series now turns toward Split 2, with the next LAN playoff event heading to Las Vegas before the season concludes with the ALGS Championship in Sapporo, Japan. After their breakthrough performance on the EWC stage, UNLIMIT will look to build momentum and prove they belong among the world’s elite.
With their championship victory, UNLIMIT earned 1,000 Club Championship Points, moving them into a tie for first place in the Club Championship standings alongside Natus Vincere. Team Vision secured 750 points for its runner-up finish, while Sentinels earned 500 points after placing third.
