VCT 2026 Americas Kickoff Betting Predictions
Disclaimer: Predictions are based on opinion and should not be construed as betting advice. Past performance does not guarantee future outcomes, and power rankings are subject to change. Information cited is accurate as of January 8, 2026, and can shift at a moment’s notice.
The latest VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) season opens in style with the VCT 2026 Americas Kickoff event. Featuring the 12 best teams from the region competing on LAN at Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles, fans are on the edge of their seats following the offseason.
Join us as we share our predictions and attempt to forecast the outcome of VCT 2026 Americas Kickoff, selecting the teams most likely to succeed.
VCT 2026 Americas Kickoff Power Rankings
While VCT 2026 Americas Kickoff doesn’t feature a cash prize pool, the stakes are incredibly high.
All 12 teams are competing for one of three spots at VALORANT Masters Santiago 2026 and coveted VCT Americas points. Only the top four teams get these all-important points, making the VCT 2026 Americas Kickoff the first step on the path to Champions 2026.
To create our VCT 2026 Americas Kickoff power rankings, we considered official rankings, matchup histories, current win-loss records, the impact of roster changes, and whether they qualified for Champions Paris, resulting in a bye in the first round of the Upper Bracket.
NRG (#1)
NRG enters with a first-round bye in the Upper Bracket, one of just four teams to receive the advantage.
The roster also looks different following their victory at VALORANT Champions Paris 2025, with Sam “s0m” Oh stepping away from competition and superstar Controller Georgio “keiko” Sanassy joining NRG in his place.
With a strong 16–9 record and 1722 points on the Global Power Rankings, NRG is undeniably a top contender. IGL Ethan “Ethan” Arnold, the first-ever two-time VALORANT world champion, is at the helm.
There’s high confidence that NRG can keep up their form from 2025 and claim the top spot at VCT 2026 Americas Kickoff.
NRG roster
- Adam “mada” Pampuch
- Brock “brawk” Somerhalder
- Logan “skuba” Jenkins
- Georgio “keiko” Sanassy
- Ethan “Ethan” Arnold (IGL)
- Malkolm “bonkar” Rench (Coach)
G2 Esports (#2)
With an utterly impressive 29–9 record in 2025, a 2nd-place finish at Masters Bangkok, and a 4th-place finish at Masters Toronto, G2 Esports is #2 on our VCT 2026 Americas power rankings. They received a first-round bye in the Upper Bracket.
Despite suffering a reverse-sweep defeat against DRX at VALORANT Champions Paris, G2 Esports remains one of the strongest teams in the world.
After the benching of Jonah “JonahP” Pulice in favor of Andrej “babybay” Francisty, they won Red Bull Home Ground 2025, beating NRG 3–0. G2 Esports also delivered a solid performance at the Radiant International Invitational 2025, placing 4th, which instills confidence.
G2 Esports roster
- Alexander “jawgemo” Mor
- Trent “trent” Cairns
- Nathan “leaf” Orf
- Andrej “babybay” Francisty
- Jacob “valyn” Batio (IGL)
- Josh “JoshRT” Lee (Coach)
Sentinels (#3)
Canadian IGL Mirel “Kyu” Hrustemovic leads the charge in the new Sentinels roster. It’s an exciting time for the organization, framing this as “new beginnings” with talented young guns joining Moroccan legend Amine “johnqt” Ouarid and Marshall “N4RRATE” Massey.
Sentinels receive a bye to the second round of the VCT 2026 Americas Kickoff Upper Bracket and will face the winner of FURIA vs. KRÜ Esports. We predict that the squad, ranked #15 globally with a 19–12 record, can secure the final spot at VALORANT Masters Santiago 2026.
Sentinels roster
- Amine “johnqt” Ouarid
- Yassin “reduxx” Aboulalazm
- Marshall “N4RRATE” Massey
- Gabriel “cortezia” Cortez
- Mirel “Kyu” Hrustemovic (IGL)
- Adam “kaplan” Kaplan (Coach)
MIBR (#4)
With the Brazilian superstar and 2022 World Champion, Erick “aspas” Santos, as the spearhead of MIBR’s attack, the sky’s the limit.
The team is currently ranked #6 in the VALORANT Global Power Rankings with a 15–13 record, largely due to their remarkable underdog run at the Champions Paris, where they earned a 5th-place finish.
MIBR received a bye to the second round of the Upper Bracket and will face the winner of EG vs. ENVY. The organization signed Roberto “Mazino” Rivas, Ian “tex” Botsch, and Zachary “zekken” Patrone in the offseason.
Due to the roster changes, MIBR is a volatile pick—they can either shine brighter than before, or fall flat!
MIBR roster
- Erick “aspas” Santos
- Roberto “Mazino” Rivas
- Ian “tex” Botsch
- Zachary “zekken” Patrone
- Andrew “Verno” Maust (IGL)
- Daniel “fRoD” Montaner (Coach)
Cloud9 (#5)
With ex-Sentinels star (Masters Madrid 2024 champion) Jordan “Zellsis” Montemurro and Canadian Erik “penny” Penny joining the roster at the end of October 2025, there’s hope that Cloud9 can climb through the ranks.
After all, Zellsis is calling the shots on the server, adding strategic depth and heaps of experience.
The team is currently ranked #15 in the world with a 19–12 record. The North American roster will face LOUD, one of the weaker opponents, in the first round of VCT 2026 Americas Kickoff.
Cloud9 roster
- Erick “Xeppaa” Bach
- Francis “OXY” Hoang
- Victor “v1c” Truong
- Erik “penny” Penny
- Jordan “Zellsis” Montemurro (IGL)
KRÜ Esports (#6)
KRÜ Esports has arguably the “easiest” first-round match, facing FURIA (the lowest-seeded team). As a result, the team could get off to a flying start, proceeding to face Sentinels if they win.
While we believe Sentinels could come out on top in the second round of the Upper Bracket, KRÜ Esports definitely has the potential to cause an upset.
With only one player from the 2025 roster remaining, 18-year-old Argentinian Jesús “Dantedeu5” Larrosa, KRÜ Esports announced its “new era” on December 13, 2025.
Veteran Matias “Saadhak” Delipetro is calling the shots, and a core of three exciting Brazilian prospects could spark brilliant plays when KRÜ Esports enters the server.
KRÜ Esports roster
- Jesús “Dantedeu5” Larrosa
- Felipe “Less” Basso
- Leonardo “mwzera” Serrati
- Caio “silentzz” Morita
- Matias “Saadhak” Delipetro (IGL)
- Nicolas “ZONYK” Carboni (Coach)
Bottom Six VCT 2026 Americas Kickoff Betting Predictions
The first LAN event of 2026 is a powder keg, ready to explode with upsets, thanks to the multitude of roster changes in the offseason. Keeping the potential volatility in mind, check out our VCT 2026 Americas Kickoff betting predictions for the bottom six.
- 100 Thieves (#7)
- Leviatán (#8)
- Evil Geniuses (#9)
- 2GAME Esports (#10)
- LOUD (#11)
- FURIA (#12)
FAQs
Who Are The Favorites To Win VCT 2026 Americas Kickoff?
VALORANT Champions Paris 2025 winners, NRG, are the favorites at VCT 2026 Americas Kickoff, followed by G2 Esports.
How Are These VCT 2026 Americas Kickoff Power Rankings Decided?
Our power rankings for VCT 2026 Americas Kickoff were informed by diligent research, focusing on stats, official rankings, past matchups, and roster changes, where applicable.
Where Can I Watch The VCT 2026 Americas Kickoff?
What Is The VCT 2026 Americas Kickoff Schedule?
VCT 2026 Americas Kickoff runs from January 15 to February 15, 2026, live on LAN at the Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles, United States.
Who Are The VCT 2026 Americas Kickoff Underdogs?
FURIA, ranked #48 globally, and LOUD, ranked #40, are the two clear underdogs based on VCT 2025 performances.
References
- Sentinels on X (X)
- MADE IN BRAZIL. on X (X)
- Cloud9 VALORANT on X (X)
- KRÜ on X (X)
- VALORANT_Americas (Twitch)
- VALORANT Champions Tour Americas (YouTube)
- VALORANT Esports NA (@valesportsna) on live (TikTok)
