schedule, format, teams, and more

VALORANT Champions 2026 marks the fruits of the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT), drawing the world’s finest groups to the intense lights of Shanghai, China.

From Sep. 24 to Oct. 18, groups from throughout the Americas, EMEA, Pacific, and China will battle for the title of world champion and the lion’s share of a reported $2.25 million prize pool. Much more thrilling, Riot’s overhauled qualification system means companion groups won’t be the one ones combating for the trophy.

Editor’s Observe: This web page will probably be up to date as Riot broadcasts extra particulars about VALORANT Champions 2026.

VALORANT Champions 2026 will happen in Shanghai, China, from Sep. 24 to Oct. 18. Riot has not but revealed the precise venue.

Shanghai isn’t any stranger to high-profile VALORANT tournaments. Town hosted VCT Masters in 2024, culminating on the Mercedes-Benz Enviornment, and can as soon as once more take heart stage when Champions arrives as a part of the broader V26 Tour (V26 无畏巡回) in 2026.

What’s much more attention-grabbing, although, is that issues have virtually come full circle. VCT China joined the International League in 2024, proper earlier than EDward Gaming gained Champs that very same 12 months. Now, EDG has already assured a spot on the first-ever VALORANT Champions held on residence soil.

Based on the Riot League Handbook, VALORANT Champions 2026 will initially separate the taking part groups into 4 GSL-style teams of 4, with all matches performed as best-of-three collection.

The highest two groups from every group will advance to the double-elimination playoffs, whereas the underside two groups will probably be eradicated. Playoff matches can even be performed as best-of-three till the tail finish of the match, the place the decrease remaining and grand remaining will swap to best-of-five matchups to determine who lifts the trophy.

Importantly, the ultimate group draw has not but been finalized on the time of writing, however groups will probably be seeded in response to their qualification technique. Riot will separate regional Stage 2 finishers from these certified via Championship Factors and forestall groups from the identical area from being drawn collectively.

You may watch VALORANT Champions 2026 on the official YouTube and Twitch channels, alongside co-streamers and regional-language broadcasts.

Riot has not but launched the printed schedule for Champions Shanghai, although particulars ought to be introduced in due time. Along with the printed, Riot can also be anticipated to roll out Pick’Ems, viewership rewards, and different Champions-themed content material nearer to and in the course of the occasion.

VALORANT Champions 2026 will function 16 groups. Among the many qualifying groups are the winners and runners-up of every area’s Stage 2 playoffs, plus the 2 highest-ranking eligible groups on the Championship Factors ladder.

At present, Paper Rex, EDward Gaming, Xi Lai Gaming, and JD Gaming have locked in spots at Champions Shanghai. PRX, EDG, and XLG certified via Championship Factors, whereas JDG secured China’s first Stage 2 qualification spot.

Probably the most hanging change heading into VALORANT Champions 2026 is Riot’s new Path to Champions system.

As a substitute of conserving VCT and Challengers fully separate, high Challenger groups have been allowed to enter their respective Stage 2 competitions and combat established Worldwide League organizations for a spot in Shanghai.

4 Challenger representatives per area feed straight into the Stage 2 pathway within the Americas, EMEA, and Pacific, whereas China operates a barely completely different home construction. Groups that survive the Play-In part can attain the primary Stage 2 playoffs, the place nothing stands of their manner of ending within the high two and qualifying straight for Champions.

This implies a workforce can theoretically rise from Premier to Challengers and all the best way to Champions, making a direct path to VALORANT’s crowning occasion. This implies there’s a real chance that Shanghai encompasses a non-partner group alongside the VCT’s conventional giants.

With a lot of the discipline nonetheless undecided, it’s nonetheless too early to level out a definitive favourite. Nevertheless, Riot’s newest Global Power Rankings (GPR) paints an attention-grabbing image of the groups presently main the VCT 2026 season.

Leviatán sits 1st with a 19–8 report (70.4% win charge) and 1,573 energy rating, adopted by Paper Rex on 1,519 pts and defending world champion NRG on 1,470 pts. Staff Vitality, 100 Thieves, and T1 full the present high six. In fact, these rankings imply little if a workforce fails to qualify.

For now, although, solely two of the potential contenders can plan their flights to Shanghai with certainty.

If any confirmed workforce deserves to be an early favourite, it’s Paper Rex.

PRX has been one of the harmful VALORANT groups of 2026, boasting a robust 25–9 season report (73.5% win charge) and putting 2nd at each Masters Santiago and Masters London.

Sadly, silverware has repeatedly slipped via their fingers. Nongshim RedForce swept Paper Rex 3–0 in Santiago earlier than Leviatán edged the Pacific powerhouse 3–2 in an extremely shut Masters London Grand Last.

However, two worldwide runner-up finishes have given PRX a huge Championship Factors haul and eliminated any qualification stress from Stage 2. The larger query is whether or not the workforce can lastly flip one other deep worldwide run right into a world title.

EDward Gaming enters from a really completely different place.

The Chinese language large might not presently sit alongside Paper Rex and Leviatán on the very high of Riot’s International Energy Rankings. Nonetheless, Shanghai gives one thing no different confirmed workforce can replicate: the chance to combat for a world championship in entrance of its residence crowd.

EDG has additionally already confirmed its ceiling. The group turned VALORANT Champions 2024 winner, delivering China’s first world championship in the course of the area’s inaugural season within the VCT ecosystem. EDG additionally reached the ultimate 4 at Masters London, however ultimately fell 3–0 to Leviatán within the decrease remaining.

With its Champions ticket already secured via Championship Factors, the stress now shifts from qualifying to discovering the shape required to make one other deep worldwide run.