In a bid to enhance the European Tier 2 competitive environment and keep the competitive juices flowing, Riot Games has announced the VCT EMEA Clash 2026.
Taking place from February 19 to February 25, this is the first-ever event that will act as a competitive filler between the VCT EMEA Kickoff and the first global event of the year, Masters Santiago.
The tournament will have a unique “intertwined” double-elimination format that draws inspiration from the Alpha and Omega themes in Valorant. Twelve teams will compete in two simultaneous brackets:
- 6 VCT EMEA Teams: The best teams from the Kickoff tournament that did not qualify for Masters Santiago.
- 6 Challengers Teams: The best teams from the six EMEA Challengers sub-regions.
In a turn of events that highlights the “clash” between the levels, the brackets are connected. Starting from Round 2, a team losing in the Upper Bracket of the Alpha group will move to the Lower Bracket of the Omega group, and vice versa. This will ensure that VCT veterans and up-and-coming Challenger players will have plenty of chances to meet each other.
- Event Dates: February 19th – 25th, 2026
- Seeding: The top four teams from the VCT EMEA Kickoff (excluding the three Masters qualifiers) will receive a direct bye to Round 2.
- The Draw: The other eight teams, two from VCT and six from Challengers, will be put into a random draw to determine the early rounds.
As the VCT EMEA Kickoff reaches the final stages this week in Berlin, all attention is now focused on which nine teams will remain to fight for redemption in the Clash, and which Challenger underdog will rise to the challenge.