A million-dollar esports tournament just wrapped in Guangzhou, China, and not a single cryptocurrency company had its name on it. That’s the real story behind the XSE Pro League Guangzhou 2026, where South American squad 9z swept PARIVISION 3-0 in the grand final to take home $260,000.

What happened in Guangzhou

The XSE Pro League ran offline from July 1-12 in Guangzhou, organized by Xinsai Esports. Sixteen teams competed across venues including Friendship Hall and South China Agricultural University Gymnasium for a total prize pool of $1 million.

For 9z, the Argentine-based organization, this was a landmark moment. The team secured their first-ever Tier-1 grand final appearance and victory in the Counter-Strike…