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More than 5,000 fans gathered across Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang to celebrate AoV esports on and beyond the battlefield
Singapore, 20 July 2026 — Arena of Valor (AoV) Premier League (APL) 2026 concluded on 19 July with an electrifying Grand Finals in Da Nang, capping off a month-long celebration of competition, entertainment, and community as part of AoV's 10th anniversary.
Hosted across Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, Vietnam, this year's mid-year championship brought together the region's top teams while expanding beyond the main stage with new competitions, immersive fan experiences, and major game announcements.
Champions crowned after weeks of high-stakes competition
In the Grand Final, Garena Challenger Series (GCS)' Relove Deep Cross Gaming defeated RoV Premier League (RPL)'s Bacon Time 4–2 to capture the APL 2026 championship, with Arena of Glory (AOG)'s FPT Polytechnic and GCS's ANK Gaming completing the tournament's top four. The victory capped off an impressive campaign for Relove Deep Cross Gaming, who recovered from an inconsistent international season to grow stronger with every stage of the tournament and remain on course for a potential Grand Slam in 2026.
Relove Deep Cross Gaming's championship run was built on a series of statement victories. After defeating AOG runner-up Saigon Phantom and RPL runner-up Full Sense—both considered among the tournament favourites—in the Knockout Stage, DCG secured a 4–1 victory over Bacon Time in the Upper Bracket Final to book a direct berth in the Grand Finals. Bacon Time fought back through a thrilling 4–3 Semi Finals victory over FPT Polytechnic to earn a rematch, and once again demonstrated its resilience by recovering from a 3–0 deficit in the championship series. However, Relove Deep Cross Gaming held their nerve to close out the Grand Finals 4–2, completing an impressive run to the APL 2026 title and keeping alive their bid for a historic Grand Slam in 2026.
APL 2026 also marked another milestone for AoV esports with the inaugural APL Queens Showdown, bringing together the top women's teams from AOG, RPL, and GCS following the introduction of their domestic women's competitions earlier this year. eArena defeated One Star Esports 4–2 to become the tournament's first-ever champions, showcasing the continued growth of women's competitive AoV across the region.
DCG XCEN was named APL 2026 Finals MVP after delivering exceptional mechanical skill and clutch performances throughout the tournament, adding the accolade to his previous Finals MVP titles at the AoV Campus Series and GCS Spring 2026. In the inaugural APL Queens Showdown, EA Miralyy earned Finals MVP honours thanks to her versatility across a wide hero pool and consistently impactful performances that proved instrumental in eArena's championship run.
The APL 2026 Best Lineup featured DCG Xcen, DCG Weiyu, DCG Xinchen, DCG YouLun, and DCG Yaooo, while the APL Queens Showdown Best Lineup comprised EA Leonellus, EA Miralyy, EA WHATIF, EA Pakkad, and EA knox.
A decade of Valor: APL 2026 marks the next chapter of AoV's 10th anniversary
As one of the centrepiece events of AoV's year-long 10th anniversary celebrations, APL 2026 evolved into a festival that extended well beyond the competition.
For the first time, the Grand Finals welcomed non-ticket holders into a free outdoor festival, featuring seven interactive game booths, cosplay celebrations, artist showcases, exclusive giveaways, and a dedicated outdoor viewing area that united spectators inside and outside the venue.
Vietnamese rookie group UPRIZE opened the Grand Finals with a live performance of the official tournament theme song, "Valor Rises" setting the stage for an unforgettable championship showdown.
Garena also unveiled several major milestones for the game's anniversary. During the APL Queens Showdown Grand Finals, the company revealed AoV's upcoming collaboration with Dandadan, while AOVision made its debut at a mid-year AoV tournament for the first time. Together, these announcements marked the next chapter of AoV's anniversary celebrations, with more experiences and esports events to come throughout the remainder of the year.
Meanwhile, from 13 to 26 July, AoV has partnered with Sun World Ba Na Hills to present The Kingdom of Valor—the game's first-ever large-scale themed destination. Inspired by the world of AoV, the activation transforms one of Vietnam's most iconic attractions into an immersive fantasy realm where players can step beyond their mobile screens and experience the game through interactive installations, themed performances, and exclusive activities.
The Kingdom of Valor has welcomed thousands of fans alongside a star-studded lineup of Vietnamese artists, creators, casters, professional players, and Thai esports personalities, including Đào Tử A1J, Pháo Northside, ADC, 1S BirdLB, 1S Mimeo, SGP NganBT, SGP Shizuka, Caster Tung Hoa Mi, Caster Huy Popper, MC Phuong Thao, Frozenkiss, KSSA, JellyJane, Mumeow, and Khetjapaila. Fans can also uncover hidden clues throughout the experience, such as the reveal of AOVision during the APL 2026, connecting the on-ground activation directly with the tournament's biggest stage.
Stay tuned to more campaigns celebrating AoV’s 10th anniversary this year
Relive all of APL 2026's high-octane action on the official AoV YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok channels, as well as Valor TV. Stay tuned to AoV's official Facebook and YouTube channels for the latest updates as the 10th anniversary celebrations continue.
