VALORANT Champions Tour 2026: The Next Era of VCT Begins Early
VALORANT Fans be ready for the upcoming! The VCT 2026 season is launching major, exciting changes ahead of schedule, bringing a more open circuit with more events, more teams, and higher-stakes tournament formats. Here’s everything you should know about the upcoming Valorant Champions Tour year:
Global VCT Event Locations for 2026
Masters 1: Hosted in Santiago, Chile, marking the VCT's first global event in LATAM (Latin America) and its first return to South America since LOCK//IN.
Masters 2: Held in London, England, which will host a global VCT event for the first time ever.
Champions 2026: The final, world-crowning event will take place in Shanghai, China.
Expanded Competition and Roadshows
More Series: The VCT will feature twice as many series as in 2025.
Destination Playoffs: The final weekend of each International League's Stage 2 playoffs will be a destination event, bringing the action to new cities within their regions.
VCT CN Roadshow: The VCT China circuit will take their entire 2026 season on the road, visiting five new cities throughout the year.
Format Updates for High-Stakes Play
Bracket Play Focus: Starting in 2026, every competition in the VCT, including Kickoff, International League stages, and global events, will feature high-stakes, do-or-die bracket style play.
Kickoff Triple Elimination: The Kickoff tournament will run longer and introduce a triple elimination format. This format will conclude with three back-to-back days, with one team qualifying for Masters Santiago each day.
Expanded Masters: The Masters One tournament is expanding its field to 12 teams, bringing more competition to the international stage.
New Path for Challenger Teams to Champions
Path to Champions: Starting in 2026, Challenger teams will have the opportunity to qualify for the biggest event of the year: Champions.
Ascension Replaced: The Ascension tournament and visitor slots to International Leagues are being replaced by this Path to Champions.
Stage 2 Qualification: Challenger teams will join the hunt in Stage 2 for a chance to qualify for Champions and claim the title of VALORANT World Champion.
Compensation: Challenger teams that make it to Champions will receive the benefits that come with the biggest stage, including substantial compensation from digital goods.
This is just a starting! VCT 2026 is set to be the most dynamic and unforgettable season. more open and globally connected VALORANT Esports ecosystem. life-changing Path to Champions for Challenger teams, the expanded Masters events in Santiago and London, to the brand-new, the future of competitive VALORANT is here. be ready to witness a era of highness.do-or-die actions. crown the next VALORANT World Champion in Shanghai. Don't miss a single round