VALORANT Champions 2026 kicks off in Shanghai, China, bringing the top 16 teams in the world together to battle for a massive $2.25 million prize pool from September 24 to October 18. As the culmination of the VCT 2026 season, this month-long event will crown the true world champion following intense regional Stage 2 splits.
Tournament Schedule and Venues
The competition spans nearly a month and is split across two major venues in Shanghai. The group stage and early playoff brackets will be held at the Jing’an Sports Center, while the tournament will move to the massive 18,000-capacity Mercedes-Benz Arena for the final weekend.
- Group Stage: September 24 – October 4, 2026
- Playoffs (Early Bracket): October 7 – October 11, 2026
- Finals Weekend (Top 4): October 16 – October 18, 2026
The 16 Attending Teams
The field consists of four representatives from each of the four major VCT regions (Americas, EMEA, Pacific, and China). These teams secured their spots either by winning their respective Stage 2 regional playoffs or by accumulating enough VCT Championship Points throughout the year.
| Region | Team 1 (Stage 2 Champion) | Team 2 | Team 3 | Team 4 |
| Americas | 100 Thieves | LOUD | NRG | G2 Esports |
| EMEA | Karmine Corp | Team Liquid | FUT Esports | Team Vitality |
| Pacific | Global Esports | Nongshim RedForce | Paper Rex | T1 |
| China | TYLOO | JD Gaming | EDward Gaming | XLG Esports |
Group Stage and Playoff Format
The event is structured into two distinct phases to ensure the most consistent teams reach the Grand Final.
The Group Stage (GSL Format)
- The 16 teams are divided into four groups of four.
- Each group plays a double-elimination (GSL) format.
- Teams must win two matches to advance; losing two matches results in elimination.
- All Group Stage matches are Best-of-3 (Bo3).
- No regional match-ups are allowed in the opening round of groups.
- The top two teams from each group advance to the Playoffs.
The Playoffs
- The remaining eight teams are seeded into a double-elimination bracket.
- All matches in the upper and lower bracket are Best-of-3 (Bo3).
- The Lower Bracket Final and the Grand Final are Best-of-5 (Bo5).
Where to Watch
Fans can catch all the live action directly on Riot Games’ official broadcast channels. The primary English broadcasts will be available on:
- Twitch: twitch.tv/valorant
- YouTube: VALORANT Champions Tour YouTube Channel
Riot Games also supports an extensive co-streaming program. Viewers can watch alongside their favorite streamers and content creators in various languages to earn exclusive Twitch Drops, including the “Stamp of Approval” Spray and “Prepared” Title.
