The inaugural R6 Reload tournament, marking the start of the competitive Rainbow Six Siege season, concluded in spectacular fashion in Rio de Janeiro. Brazilian squad FURIA emerged victorious, defeating their Japanese counterparts, CAG Osaka, with a decisive 3-0 scoreline in the grand final.
The victory ignited the crowd packed into Arena Carioca 1, reinforcing Brazil`s well-established dominance in the global competitive R6 landscape. Beyond the prestige, FURIA secured the top prize of $170,000.
This win holds particular significance for the FURIA roster, which largely consists of the players who previously competed under the w7m banner and lifted the Six Invitational 2024 trophy. It effectively puts an end to a recent period of less favorable results, including earlier than anticipated exits from two subsequent Majors and the Esports World Cup. The final series against CAG Osaka was a masterclass in execution, with FURIA securing comfortable wins on Lair (7-4), Bank (7-3), and Kafe Dostoyevsky (7-3) to complete the sweep.
FURIA`s path to the final included navigating through tough competition, notably overcoming fellow Brazilian titans LOUD in the semifinal and securing a crucial victory against the Six Invitational 2025 champions, FaZe Clan, during the initial phase of the tournament. Beating next year`s champions before they even lifted their trophy is, one might say, a bold move.
On the other side of the bracket, CAG Osaka made history by becoming the first Asian team to reach the grand final of a global Rainbow Six Siege tournament. Their impressive run saw them defeat strong opponents such as FearX and Wildcard Gaming in the earlier knockout rounds. CAG Osaka earned $80,000 as the tournament runner-up.
The R6 Reload tournament itself kicked off on May 10th, bringing together twenty of the world`s top R6 teams. The finals were held live with an audience in Rio, highlighting the region`s passion for the game. Demonstrating Brazil`s significant presence in the scene, five of the twenty participating teams were Brazilian (FaZe Clan, w7m, LOUD, FURIA, and Team Liquid), alongside Elevate, an Asian team composed entirely of Brazilian players. It seems Brazil is not just participating; it`s practically hosting a family reunion.
Rounding out the prize pool, teams placing 3rd and 4th, w7m and Wildcard, each received $35,000, with further prize money distributed among teams finishing from 5th to 20th place.
The R6 Reload served its purpose as a thrilling season opener, confirming that despite shifts in rosters and recent performance dips, Brazil remains a formidable power in Rainbow Six Siege esports, and FURIA, in particular, is back with a vengeance.
