Disclaimer: Predictions are based on opinion and should not be construed as betting advice. Past performance does not guarantee future outcomes. All information cited is accurate as of January 13, 2026, and can change at a moment’s notice.

The VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) Pacific region is home to some of the world’s top players, but only three teams will qualify for a spot at Masters Santiago. What’s more, with all the roster changes in the offseason, the first tournament of the year could prove equal parts volatile and thrilling.

Join us as we attempt to navigate uncertain waters and predict the teams most likely to be victorious at VCT 2026 Pacific Kickoff.

VCT 2026 Pacific Kickoff Power Rankings

The VCT 2026 Pacific Kickoff is the only way to Masters Santiago—and the first step on the path towards Champions 2026. And while there’s no cash prize pool, all Kickoff events carry significant stakes. 

To create our power rankings, we conducted diligent research on factors including matchup histories, Global Power Rankings (GPR), player performance metrics, and roster changes. 

We further considered the latest betting odds, which reflect bookmakers’ confidence in an outcome. To inform our predictions, we’ve used decimal odds (Stake x Odds = Payout), and also show the American odds and the implied probability for your consideration. 

Paper Rex (#1)

With the GOAT of VALORANT esports, Jason “f0rsakeN” Susanto, calling the shots, Paper Rex (PRX) is the favorite to win VCT 2026 Pacific Kickoff. If the Masters Toronto winners don’t earn a podium finish and qualify for Santiago, it would be the biggest upset in recent memory.

In the offseason, Patrick “PatMen” Mendoza moved to Global Esports. To fill the gap, PRX added Adrian “invy” Reyes on December 16, 2025. Following this change, the team dominated opponents and won the Radiant International Invitational 2025, defeating Gen.G 3–1 in the Grand Final.

It comes as no surprise that PRX (ranked #5 globally and #2 in Pacific with a 23–10 record) is a shoo-in for Masters Santiago. Odds of 2.75 (+175) imply a 36.36% chance of victory in the VCT 2026 Pacific Kickoff Upper Bracket Final, while odds of 1.33 (-303) suggest a 75.19% chance of a top-three finish.

DRX (#2)

With a 20–11 record in 2025, DRX leads the VCT Pacific region and ranks #3 in the world. At VALORANT Champions Paris, they slayed the dragon that is Paper Rex with a 2–0 record, before losing 3–1 to FNATIC, closing the event in third place.

In the offseason, Cho “Flashback” Min-hyuk retired and was replaced by Ahn “Hermes” Byeong-wook. With the roster change announced on January 8, one has to wonder if DRX has had enough time with Hermes before VCT 2026 Pacific Kickoff begins.

Odds of 5.00 (+400) indicate an implied probability of 20% that DRX could become the VCT 2026 Pacific Kickoff champions. There’s a 58.14% chance that they will be one of the top three teams, represented by odds of 1.72 (-138.89). 

Gen.G Esports (#3)

With a 15–10 record at international events and a global ranking of #19, Gen.G had a disappointing VCT 2025 season, aside from a 3rd-place finish at the Esports World Cup 2025. More recently, Gen.G finished 2nd at Radiant International Invitational in the offseason.

Despite the lack of trophies, Gen.G is seen as a top contender. Odds of 5.50 (+450) indicate there’s an 18.18% chance for the team to claim 1st place, while odds of 2.10 (+110) suggest a 47.62% chance they’ll make it to VALORANT Masters Santiago. 

During the offseason, Kim “ZynX” Dong-ha trialed with Gen.G, with the 18-year-old officially announced as the final piece of the roster on January 8, 2026. With only one roster change and superstars like Kim “t3xture” Na-ra, the South Korean powerhouse is a strong contender at VCT 2026 Pacific Kickoff. 

T1 (#4)

During the offseason, T1 made just one roster change, welcoming ex-Gen.G star Byeon “Munchkin” Sang-beom to the active lineup. With an 18–14 record in 2025 and the Masters Bangkok trophy under their belt, T1 is a strong contender for VCT 2026 Pacific Kickoff. 

While T1 dropped out of Champions Paris early (9th–12th place finish), they showed strong form at VCT 2025 Pacific Stage 2, finishing 4th after a narrow loss to RRQ.

Odds of 5.50 (+450) suggest there’s an 18.18% chance that T1 could go all the way at VCT 2026 Pacific Kickoff, while odds of 1.61 (-163.93) translate to an implied probability of 62.11% that they can claim a podium finish.

Rex Regum Qeon (#5)

Rex Regum Qeon (RRQ) is our 5th-place pick, as we predict they’ll fall just shy of a spot at Masters Santiago. However, there’s a case to be made that RRQ could claim a 3rd-place spot, especially since the team made no roster changes during the offseason. 

At VCT 2025 Pacific Stage 2, RRQ proved they could beat any opponent on a good day, defeating heavyweights Gen.G Esports, DRX, T1, and Talon in a massive Lower Bracket run to reach the Final, where they eventually lost against PRX.

Odds of 9.00 (+800) translate to an implied probability of 11.11% for RRQ to win the Upper Bracket Final of VCT 2026 Pacific Kickoff. Further, odds of 2.50 (+150) indicate there’s a 40% chance that RRQ could claim a top-three spot.

FULL SENSE (#6)

In December 2025, Riot Games terminated Talon Esports’ VCT Pacific partnership, and announced FULL SENSE as the replacement. With the all-Thai roster welcomed as a partner team for VCT 2026 Pacific, their first major test is competing at Kickoff. 

The organization has performed well in VCT Challengers events and narrowly missed out on joining the main VCT Pacific league, finishing 3rd at Ascension 2024. On December 12, 2025, FULL SENSE unveiled its “powerhouse lineup,” entering the big leagues and instilling confidence. 

Odds of 17.00 (+1600) indicate there’s only a 5.88% chance of FULL SENSE winning it all, while odds of 7.00 (+600) imply a 14.29% chance that the team will qualify for Masters Santiago.

Bottom Six VCT 2026 Pacific Kickoff Betting Predictions

You’ll find the bottom six teams in our VCT 2026 Pacific Kickoff power rankings outlined below. We’ve outlined their chances of qualifying for Masters Santiago (top-three placement), as implied by the latest available bookmaker odds.

• VARREL (#7) – 10%
• Nongshim RedForce (#8) – 10%
• Global Esports (#9) – 5.56%
• Team Secret (#10) – 2.94%
• DetonatioN FocusMe (#11) – 2.44%
• ZETA DIVISION (#12) – 2.44%

FAQs

Who Are The Favorites To Win VCT 2026 Pacific Kickoff?

Paper Rex are the overwhelming favorites to win VCT 2026 Pacific Kickoff, with odds of 2.75 (+175) implying a 36.36% probability.

How Are These VCT 2026 Pacific Kickoff Power Rankings Decided?

To create our VCT 2026 Pacific Kickoff power rankings, we considered several factors, including offseason roster changes, official standings on the GPR, matchup histories, recent performances, and the latest VALORANT betting odds.

Where Can I Watch The VCT 2026 Pacific Kickoff?

You can watch all the VCT 2026 Pacific Kickoff matches live via the official VALORANT Pacific Twitch and YouTube channels.

What Is The VCT 2026 Pacific Kickoff Schedule?

VCT 2026 Pacific Kickoff is scheduled to run from January 22 to February 15, 2026.

Who Are The VCT 2026 Pacific Kickoff Underdogs?

The two biggest underdogs at VCT 2026 Pacific Kickoff are ZETA DIVISION and DetonatioN FocusMe. Odds of 76.00 (+7500) indicate there’s only a 1.32% chance of claiming the crown for either of these teams, and a 2.44% for a top-three finish thanks to odds of 41.00 (+4000).

References

1. Paper Rex on X: “Singapore — Recently, we have made a very difficult decision…” (Х)
2. Paper Rex on X: “Seoul, South Korea — Paper Rex is happy to announce…” (Х)
3. DRX VALORANT on X (Х)
4. Gen.G Gold on X (Х)
5. T1 VALORANT on X (Х)
6. Riot Games Welcomes Full Sense to VCT Pacific for 2026 (Riot Games)
7. FULL SENSE on X (Х)
8. VALORANT_Pacific (Twitch)
9. VALORANT Champions Tour Pacific (YouTube)