On December 17, 2025, Savannah Louie won Survivor 49 with a 5 to 2 to 1 jury vote, defeating finalists Sophi Balerdi and Sage Ahrens Nichols after 26 days in Fiji’s Mamanuca Islands. The three hour finale delivered an all female final three, the first time in more than a decade, and capped Louie’s season long mix of challenge strength and steady control that resonated with a majority of jurors.
How the endgame was won
Sophi took command at the Final Four, winning the last immunity challenge, then selected Sage to sit next to her at the end. That decision forced Savannah and Rizo Velovic into the fire making showdown for the final seat, a high risk moment that Louie seized. She won at fire, advanced to the final three, and used a crisp final tribal performance to frame her season as consistent, adaptable, and decisive.
“It’s a crazy feeling,” Louie said after the votes were read, reflecting on a season where she often fought through doubt yet kept finding the next play.
The case that carried Louie
- Challenge résumé, four individual immunity wins, which ties the single season mark among women, gave her safety at key junctures and a visible metric of control.
- A working core, her alliance with Balerdi and Velovic, nicknamed Tres Leches, dominated stretches of the merge, even as it frayed in the final days.
- Jury management, at final tribal she leaned into results over relationships, positioning her game as strategic and outcome driven, which landed with several swing jurors.
How the jury voted
A tight but clear verdict produced the 5 to 2 to 1 result. Here is the breakdown of the eight jurors’ ballots.
- Nate Moore, Savannah
- Michelle “MC” Chukwujekwu, Sophi
- Alex Moore, Savannah
- Jawan Pitts, Sage
- Sophie Segreti, Savannah
- Steven Ramm, Savannah
- Kristina Mills, Sophi
- Rizo Velovic, Savannah
The runners up, their arguments, and what the jury rewarded
Sophi Balerdi
Balerdi’s journey began on a struggling starting tribe, which forced her to survive multiple early councils, then recalibrate at the merge. She landed key votes, won the final immunity, and made the bold call to pit Savannah and Rizo against each other in fire. Post finale, she framed her case around social capital and mid game pivots, and she left believing that if Rizo had reached the end instead of Savannah, her odds would have improved.
Sage Ahrens Nichols
A ten year Army veteran and clinical social worker, Sage leaned into an under the radar approach that masked a sharper strategic sense than many rivals expected. She built enough goodwill to claim one jury vote, a nod to her relationships and late game composure. The jury, however, ultimately prioritized demonstrable control and challenge performance over subtlety.
Records and milestones
- All female final three, the first since 2014, provided a notable bookend to the new era’s shorter, 26 day format.
- Four individual immunities for Louie, tying the women’s single season record, underscored how often she entered tribal council in control of her own fate.
Inside the pivotal decisions
The turning point belonged to Sophi at the Final Four. By choosing Sage to sit and sending Savannah to fire, she took a swing intended to avoid facing two flashy résumés at the end. The move nearly worked, but Savannah’s win in the blaze flipped the calculus. From there, Louie leaned on results, including her immunity haul, to answer probing jury questions about relationships versus outcomes. Sophi countered with an emphasis on her social web and a willingness to take risks. The jury split reflected those competing philosophies, five votes valuing control and challenge wins, three votes rewarding social bonds and read on the field.
What comes next for the winner and the franchise
Louie’s season is not quite over. She will return for Survivor 50, alongside fellow season 49 standout Rizo Velovic, in a milestone season that lets fans shape parts of the game. For a player who just balanced power with poise, another quick trip back to Fiji offers a chance to test the formula that just delivered her the title.