Bleed has won the 2XKO Evo France 2026 Major, defeating Hikari in the grand final on October 10 in Nice, France. The ONi Global competitor claimed the championship ahead of a 315-entry field, ending Hikari's attempt to complete a sweep of all three Evo 2XKO tournaments in 2026.
Hikari finished second, while the SonicFox and INZEM duo secured third place and Supernoon took fourth. French competitors Kayne and Noka shared fifth place, with Wade finishing seventh alongside Globo. It was a strong showing from the host nation, although the trophy ultimately went to an American player.
The victory gives bleed another major 2XKO title after his Frosty Faustings XVIII triumph earlier this year. It also comes at an important moment for Riot Games' fighting game, with active development scheduled to end in December 2026 and only a handful of supported competitive events remaining.
2XKO Evo France 2026 final results and Top 8 standings
Bleed finished first at 2XKO Evo France 2026, followed by Hikari in second and SonicFox/INZEM in third. The tournament featured 315 entries in a double-elimination bracket, with the final eight competing on Saturday, October 10.
The complete Top 8 standings are listed below.
| Placement | Player or team | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | bleed | United States |
| 2nd | Hikari | United States |
| 3rd | SonicFox / INZEM | United States |
| 4th | Supernoon | United States |
| 5th (tied) | Kayne | France |
| 5th (tied) | Noka | France |
| 7th (tied) | Wade | France |
| 7th (tied) | Globo | United States |
All eight finalists had to navigate a field featuring established fighting game champions, experienced 2XKO specialists and several players competing across multiple titles. The official Evo France 2XKO bracket contains the tournament's match records and elimination rounds.
Riot Games had described Evo France as potentially its strongest 2XKO tournament yet. With the eventual Top 8 containing previous Major winners, consistently high-ranking competitors and three French players, the final standings reflected the depth of the field.
Before the event, Riot also released a 2XKO Evo France video highlighting the competition and the significance of the tournament for the French fighting game scene.
The tournament delivered a notable result for bleed, who entered the event with an established reputation but faced a field that included Hikari, SonicFox, INZEM and Supernoon. His championship victory adds another major achievement to a competitive season that has produced several different contenders for the top spot.
How bleed won the 2XKO Evo France 2026 Major
Bleed's victory in France adds to a successful year for the ONi Global player. He began 2026 by winning Frosty Faustings XVIII, the first official Major of the 2XKO Competitive Series, and remained a regular threat at major tournaments throughout the season.
At Frosty Faustings, bleed defeated Supernoon in the grand final after surviving a bracket reset. That victory established him as one of the game's early competitive leaders, particularly with his long-standing Ekko and Illaoi character combination.
His subsequent results included fourth place at Evo Japan and a joint fifth-place finish at Evo Las Vegas. Those performances kept him among the leading players, but another Major championship had remained out of reach until Evo France.
In Nice, bleed returned to the top of the standings by finishing ahead of Hikari, whose dominance at the two earlier Evo tournaments made him one of the strongest opponents in the field.
The Evo France footage below offers another look at the competition surrounding bleed's championship victory, one of the defining results of the 2026 2XKO competitive season.
Bleed's continued reliance on Ekko and Illaoi is an important part of his competitive identity. While other players have explored different champion pairings as the game's balance and strategies have evolved, his familiarity with the same two characters has remained a consistent feature of his performances.
Ekko brings speed, mobility and mixup opportunities, while Illaoi provides powerful attacks and pressure built around her tentacles. Together, they give bleed options for both aggressive openings and punishing opponents who struggle to escape difficult situations.
His Evo France title is another demonstration that a well-developed team can remain competitive even when the wider player base experiments with new combinations and recently released champions.
Hikari's Evo winning streak ends in France
Hikari entered Evo France with the opportunity to accomplish something unusual: win the 2XKO tournaments at Evo Japan, Evo Las Vegas and Evo France in the same year.
The American competitor had already won both earlier Evo Majors in 2026. His Akali and Ahri team proved particularly effective throughout the season, helping him establish himself as one of the most successful players in the game's competitive history.
His path to the Evo Las Vegas title was especially memorable. After dropping into the losers bracket, Hikari fought his way back to the grand final against SonicFox and INZEM, reset the bracket and defeated the duo to secure another championship.
France offered a chance to extend that run to three Evo titles in a single 2XKO season. Instead, Hikari finished runner-up, with bleed taking the trophy.
Second place remains a significant result. Hikari reached the final stage of another international Major and finished ahead of several established rivals, including SonicFox/INZEM and Supernoon.
The outcome also changes the story of the 2026 competitive season. Rather than one player completing an Evo sweep, the year now includes multiple Major-winning performances from bleed and Hikari.
SonicFox and INZEM take third, Supernoon finishes fourth
SonicFox and INZEM added another high placement to their 2XKO record with a third-place finish at Evo France. The pair have been among the most recognizable competitive duos in a game that allows participants to control two characters either alone or alongside another player.
The partnership previously won the 2XKO competition at Combo Breaker 2026 and finished second at Evo Las Vegas. Their success has demonstrated that coordinated two-player teams can compete against the strongest solo entrants.
At Evo France, the duo finished behind bleed and Hikari but ahead of Supernoon, who took fourth place.
Supernoon has remained a consistent presence near the top of major 2XKO brackets. His tournament record includes runner-up finishes at Frosty Faustings and Evo Japan, along with a third-place result at Evo Las Vegas.
The final four at Evo France therefore featured competitors who had already proven themselves across several major events. That consistency makes the result particularly meaningful for bleed, whose victory came against one of the deepest fields assembled during the game's first full competitive season.
France places three players in the Top 8 but misses the title
France entered Evo France 2026 hoping to defend the home championship won by Wawa in 2025. Although the region did not claim another trophy, Kayne, Noka and Wade all reached the Top 8.
Kayne and Noka finished joint fifth, while Wade placed joint seventh. All three entered the event with previous strong results in European or international competition.
The French scene has developed considerable depth through Challenger events, regional tournaments and the experience many competitors brought from other fighting games.
Kayne, for example, won the 2XKO Challenger competition at The MIXUP in Lyon earlier this year. Noka has also built a strong competitive record, while Wade has remained a familiar name in French and international fighting game tournaments.
That competitive foundation was one of the central themes of Riot's official Evo France preview, published on October 8 by Ben "Draggles" Forbes.
Riot highlighted Yasha, Wawa, Kayne, Wade and Noka as French contenders capable of challenging the international field. While Yasha and Wawa did not reach the final eight, the other three delivered strong finishes.
France's competitive infrastructure has also benefited from events such as Red Bull Knockout and the EU Community Series. These tournaments have helped players develop rivalries, test strategies and gain experience against opponents from other countries.
The country's background in tag-team fighting games has been another advantage. Players familiar with games that rely on assists, character switching and extended combos have skills that translate naturally into 2XKO.
How Evo France 2026 compares with the 2025 tournament
Evo France 2026 was a return to the location where 2XKO established an important early competitive milestone.
At Evo France 2025, Wawa won the 2 NICE KO tournament, part of Riot's First Impact competitive initiative during the game's early-access period. He defeated Supernoon in the grand final, giving France a home victory at one of the earliest major gatherings of 2XKO competitors.
The 2026 event was different. The game had undergone months of balance adjustments, champion additions and international competition, giving experienced players considerably more time to develop their strategies.
Evo France 2026 also carried official Major status within the 2XKO Competitive Series. Its 315-entry bracket included competitors with established records at Frosty Faustings, Evo Japan, Evo Las Vegas and numerous Challenger tournaments.
Riot's earlier competitive preview of First Attack and Evo France emphasized how the two events would bring together international players for another important stretch of competition.
First Attack in Puerto Rico took place one week before Evo France, with Tate claiming victory. Riot highlighted that result for the attention it brought to Blitzcrank, demonstrating how competitive players were continuing to discover useful approaches even late in the game's development cycle.
How to watch 2XKO Evo France 2026 matches and replays
The 2XKO Evo France tournament has concluded, but its original broadcast channels remain useful destinations for checking archived streams and match footage.
Coverage was provided in English, French and Spanish throughout the event, allowing different parts of the fighting game community to follow their preferred competitors.
- English Top 8 coverage: Evo on Twitch.
- Official Evo France tournament coverage: Evo France 5 on Twitch.
- French community coverage: RZA on Twitch.
- Spanish community coverage: Sh4rin on Twitch.
The official Evo channel carried English commentary for the final bracket, while RZA and Sh4rin provided additional community coverage.
Further broadcasts and archived 2XKO content can be found through the 2XKO Twitch directory and the official 2XKO YouTube channel, subject to replay availability.
The official Evo France event website also contains information about the tournament and its wider fighting game lineup. Event announcements and highlights can be followed through Evo France on X.
Original 2XKO Evo France 2026 tournament schedule
The 2XKO competition took place across October 9 and 10, while the wider Evo France event continued until October 11. Riot published the following tournament start times.
| Stage | Date | France (CEST) | Pacific (PDT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1 pools | October 9 | 2:00 p.m. | 5:00 a.m. |
| Round 2 and later brackets | October 10 | 10:00 a.m. | 1:00 a.m. |
| Top 8 finals | October 10 | 6:00 p.m. | 9:00 a.m. |
Evo France featured several other major fighting game competitions throughout the weekend, including Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, Guilty Gear Strive, Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls and Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves.
Why bleed's Evo France win matters for 2XKO's future
Bleed's victory comes during a period of significant change for 2XKO. In August, Riot Games announced that active development would conclude at the end of December 2026, following an assessment of the game's player retention and long-term sustainability.
The decision means 2XKO will receive its final major content update before the end of the year. However, Riot has stressed that the game will not simply shut down when development ends.
Under Riot's announced plans, the servers will remain online after 2026, allowing players to continue competing on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Offline play will remain available as well.
Riot has already made several changes designed to support the game with a smaller ongoing development commitment. All champions have been unlocked for players, while Ranked lobbies, Battle Passes and some other live-service systems have been removed.
Casual matchmaking and Private lobbies remain important parts of the experience, with Riot aiming to preserve ways for players to find opponents and organize their own matches.
The official Competitive Series is continuing through the rest of 2026, and tournament organizers will still be able to host community competitions after the supported season ends.
That makes Evo France significant for two reasons. It adds another Major champion to the game's competitive history, while also highlighting a community that intends to remain active despite the conclusion of new development.
Riot Games recognizes community organizers at Evo France
Riot Games did not operate a dedicated 2XKO booth at Evo France 2026. Instead, the developer focused its on-site presence on recognizing people who helped build the game's European competitive community.
Tournament organizers, creators and community leaders from across Europe were invited to Nice in recognition of their work supporting regional events, players and local fighting game scenes.
Riot staff were also present during the event, giving attendees opportunities to meet developers and potentially collect promotional merchandise.
The decision to prioritize community recognition reflects the circumstances surrounding the game's future. While Riot's official development work is winding down, independently organized tournaments and local communities can continue providing opportunities for competition.
What Evo France reveals about the 2XKO competitive meta
Bleed's championship is another important result for Ekko and Illaoi, but the wider competitive scene has continued experimenting with different character combinations.
Hikari has built much of his success around Akali and Ahri, while Supernoon is closely associated with combinations involving Teemo and Ekko. Kayne has also demonstrated the potential of Warwick and Jinx in high-level competition.
Riot has pointed to greater team variety in recurring TampaNeverSleeps tournaments, where different champion pairings have reached the later bracket stages. That suggests the competitive meta has continued developing rather than settling completely around a single dominant composition.
Senna is among the champions attracting attention. Riot has highlighted experimentation with her combo routes and shared Senna combo footage demonstrating some of the possibilities players have discovered.
The Teamfight Fuse has been another topic of discussion. A substantial balance reduction after its introduction appears to have discouraged some players from using it, although Riot has suggested that unexplored techniques may remain.
With Samira scheduled to join the roster later in October, the remaining 2026 tournaments could still produce new teams and strategies before the final major content update settles into place.
Upcoming 2XKO tournaments and patch dates after Evo France
Evo France is complete, but the 2XKO competitive calendar still has important events scheduled for November. Riot has also outlined the remaining patches leading into December's conclusion of active development.
| Date | Event or update | Status |
|---|---|---|
| October 27 | Patch 1.3.3, Samira release | Targeted |
| November 6 | Most regular 2XKO communications end | Announced |
| November 12 | Patch 1.3.3b, minor balance and bug fixes | Targeted |
| November 21-22 | Battle Coliseum, 2XKO Major | Scheduled |
| November 27-29 | MINDSET 2026, 2XKO Challenger | Scheduled |
| Early December | Patch 1.3.5, bug fixes only | Optional |
Samira is scheduled for late October
Samira, the Desert Rose, is Riot's final officially announced 2XKO champion. She is targeted for release on October 27 with patch 1.3.3, which is planned as the game's last major content update.
Her fighting style combines a sword and dual pistols, offering players another character to experiment with before the remaining competitive events.
Patch 1.3.3 is also expected to bring the remaining planned cosmetics into the Ultimate Bundle. Riot has said existing bundle owners will automatically receive the additional items included in that update.
Battle Coliseum is the next 2XKO Major
Battle Coliseum takes place on November 21 and 22 in São Paulo, Brazil, giving top players another opportunity to compete for a Major title after Evo France.
That event will be particularly important for Hikari, SonicFox/INZEM, Supernoon and the French contenders looking to finish the year with another strong result. Bleed will enter the remaining competitive stretch with his Evo France victory added to his record.
MINDSET 2026 follows from November 27 to 29 as a Challenger tournament, rounding out the currently announced competitive calendar.
Beyond 2026, Riot has confirmed that tournament organizers can continue hosting 2XKO competitions under its community competition guidelines, even though the official supported circuit is ending.
Further information about roster changes, gameplay patches and future competitive developments can be found in RiftDaily's 2XKO coverage, alongside the site's broader gaming and esports news.
Frequently asked questions about 2XKO Evo France 2026
Who won 2XKO Evo France 2026?
Bleed won the 2XKO Evo France 2026 Major on October 10 in Nice, France. The ONi Global player defeated Hikari in the grand final to claim the championship ahead of a 315-entry field.
Who finished second and third at Evo France 2026?
Hikari finished second, while the SonicFox and INZEM duo placed third. Supernoon took fourth place.
Which French players reached the 2XKO Top 8?
Kayne, Noka and Wade reached the Top 8 at Evo France 2026. Kayne and Noka finished joint fifth, while Wade placed joint seventh alongside Globo.
How many entries were in the 2XKO Evo France 2026 tournament?
The official bracket recorded 315 entries. The tournament used a double-elimination format and allowed competitors to participate individually or as two-player teams.
What characters does bleed play in 2XKO?
Bleed is best known for using Ekko and Illaoi. The combination has been central to his competitive results, including his Frosty Faustings championship and Evo France victory.
Is Evo France 2026 the final 2XKO Major?
No. Battle Coliseum is scheduled for November 21-22, 2026, in São Paulo, Brazil, as another 2XKO Major. It is among the remaining official competitive events before Riot concludes active development.
When is Samira coming to 2XKO?
Samira is targeted for October 27, 2026, with patch 1.3.3. Riot has identified her as the game's final planned champion addition, although the release date remains subject to confirmation.
Will 2XKO shut down after December 2026?
No. Riot Games plans to end active development in December 2026, but servers will remain online afterward. The game will continue to support online and offline play, and community tournaments can still take place.
Bleed's championship sets up 2XKO's final competitive stretch
Bleed leaves Evo France 2026 as the Major champion, having finished ahead of Hikari, SonicFox/INZEM and Supernoon in one of the strongest 2XKO brackets assembled this year.
France's three Top 8 finishes also underline the strength of the country's fighting game community, even without a repeat of Wawa's home victory from 2025.
The result adds another chapter to a competitive season shaped by changing character strategies, international rivalries and uncertainty surrounding 2XKO's long-term development.
Attention now turns to the targeted October 27 release of Samira, Battle Coliseum in November and the remaining Challenger competition at MINDSET 2026. Those events will determine how the official 2026 season ends, while grassroots organizers prepare to carry 2XKO competition beyond Riot's final major updates.
For now, the defining result from Nice is clear: bleed is the 2XKO Evo France 2026 champion, and Hikari's pursuit of a third Evo title in the same season has ended in second place.
