North American esports organization NRG has ended a six-year championship dry spell for the region by beating Team Falcons 4-1 in the RLCS World Championship 2025 grand final to secure their second world championship in front of an electric crowd at Lyon’s LDLC Arena.
The win on September 14th was a milestone for Rocket League in North America, with NRG being the first North American squad to hoist the world championship trophy since their victory in 2019. The 2,100-day wait for regional dominance was eventually over as Massimo “Atomic” Franceschi, Landon “BeastMode” Konerman, and Daniel “Daniel” Piecenski gave a masterclass display under the leadership of coach Matthew “Satthew” Ackermann.
The final game highlighted NRG’s strategic expertise and nerves of steel. Following an early 1-0 lead for Team Falcons, courtesy of a defensive clinic on Forbidden Temple, NRG took charge of the series with clinical brutality. The game-changer was Game 3 on DFH Stadium, with NRG taking the win in overtime just 13 seconds into overtime, before clinching a 2-1 victory on Utopia Coliseum (Dusk).
BeastMode’s forceful challenge manner matched perfectly with Daniel’s calculated third-man play, while Atomic’s unselfish rotations and accurate shot placing kept Team Falcons under pressure all the time. The American superteam wrapped up their title with a calm 3-2 win on AquaDome (Salty Shallows), sending fans into ecstatic celebrations both on the stage and in the arena.
BeastMode’s standout tournament play was rewarded with the RLCS 2025 Season MVP award, topping off his North American regular season MVP award. The 18-year-old Daniel was in form throughout the season and showed exceptional improvement playing alongside Atomic, with the level of trust and chemistry that has proved so threatening as a roster.
NRG’s Way to LDLC Arena
The RLCS World Championship 2025 featured the most competitive roster of teams in the championship’s history, with 20 teams competing for a respectable $1.2 million prize pool. NRG’s route to victory was by no means straightforward, starting with a dominant 4-0 semifinal win over Geekay Esports in the morning.
The competition was hosted at Lyon’s massive LDLC Arena, where around 36,000 spectators attended the three-day event between September 12-14. The French host showed an electric ambiance that was on par with classical sporting events, as crowds jumped, chanted, and celebrated all day long during the grueling matches.
NRG’s victory was especially notable considering the across-the-board skepticism about North American teams participating in the tournament. The region’s prospects were already discounted by many experts, with some opining that Middle Eastern and European teams would run amok. NRG took their underdog billing to heart, utilizing it as a source of motivation to silence their critics.
Team Falcons, the Middle East and North Africa team, had themselves created history as the first team from the region to make it to a World Championship final. Their path to the grand final, which involved triumphs over tournament favourites such as Karmine Corp, indicated the international expansion of Rocket League esports.
NRG’s championship win earned them the winner’s share of $300,000, with Team Falcons earning $153,000 for their runner-up position. The large prize pool split is a testament to the ongoing expansion and investment in Rocket League esports, amid recent issues within the scene, such as team slates leaving and restructuring within organizations.