VALORANT Champions is coming to Shanghai in 2026 and is set to be the biggest VALORANT Esports event of the year, bringing together the best teams from NA, EMEA, Pacific, and China to claim bragging rights as the best team in the world.
VALORANT Champions 2026 Dates and Format
The tournament kicks off in Shanghai in about two weeks, where it will run from September 24 to October 18, 2026. It features 16 teams from all the VCT regions across the world for a shot at VALORANT’s most prestigious trophy.
On September 24, the competition kicks off with a 16-team group stage, followed by an eight-team double-elimination playoff bracket. Only the lower bracket finals and the Grand Finals are set to take place in best-of-5 format, while all of the remaining matches go with the usual best-of-3.
Teams Qualified So Far
| Region | Team | Qualified through: |
|---|---|---|
| China | [TYL] TYLOO | CN Stage 2 Champions |
| China | [JDG] JD Gaming | CN Stage 2 2nd place |
| China | [EDG] EDward Gaming | Championship Points (CN) |
| China | [XLG] Xi Lai Gaming | Championship Points (CN) |
| Pacific | TBD | Pacific Stage 2 Champions |
| Pacific | TBD | Pacific Stage 2 2nd place |
| Pacific | [PRX] Paper Rex | Championship Points (PAC) |
| Pacific | [NS] Nongshim RedForce | Championship Points (PAC) |
| EMEA | [KC] Karmine Corp | EMEA Stage 2 |
| EMEA | [TL] Team Liquid | EMEA Stage 2 |
| EMEA | [FUT] FUT Esports | Championship Points (EMEA) |
| EMEA | [VIT] Team Vitality | Championship Points (EMEA) |
| Americas | TBD | Americas Stage 2 |
| Americas | TBD | Americas Stage 2 |
| Americas | [NRG] NRG | Championship Points (AME) |
| Americas | TBD | Championship Points (AME) |
The list of teams suggests that most of the big names will be in Shanghai, having secured qualification early on with ease, giving them sufficient headroom to practice and prepare before the tournament kicks off. On the other hand, there remain teams whose fate is still up for debate.
As challenging as Riot’s qualification system is, it ensures that the best of the best teams during that phase make it to the final stage of the events, which not only makes the event fun to watch but also raises the level of the competition to the absolute highest that there is.
Shanghai being a place where VALORANT has a massive fan base, Riot has shown excellence once again in picking a location. It goes without saying that the event has everything needed to succeed, and it’s only a matter of time before we delve into the action.
