The VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) keeps expanding, with 2026 marking one of the biggest overhauls in its history. In particular, the VCT 2026 season brings more competition, more global locations, and a stronger focus on creating an open ecosystem that gives Tier 2 teams a real path to the top.

This hub tracks everything confirmed for VCT 2026 so far, including the updated format, qualification path, partner team changes, and host cities for next year’s major events.

Note: This page was last checked on Oct 20, 2025, and will be updated as new information becomes available.

VCT 2026 Explained: What’s Changing Next Season?

Riot Games has unveiled huge plans for VCT in 2026. In a recent preview video, Global Head of VALORANT Esports Leo Faria and Studio Lead Anna Donlon outlined many structural changes to make VCT 2026 more competitive and inclusive.

Here’s what’s changing in VCT 2026:

• Regional Kickoff events will feature a triple-elimination format.
• Masters 1 is expanding to 12 teams to match Masters 2.
• The Group Stage format from last season is being replaced.
• Challengers teams can now compete for Champion spots at the end of Stage 2.

Riot says more details regarding the revised tournament formats and broader goals of creating a more open path for emerging teams and players will be shared in the coming months.

VCT 2026 Schedule And Confirmed Host Cities

The overall VCT 2026 schedule is similar to 2025, except the tour will travel to twice as many locations. It starts with Kickoff at the beginning of the year, leading to the first Masters, then into Stage 1, followed by Masters 2, Stage 2, and eventually Champions.

Here are all the VCT 2026 locations next year and their respective dates:

Event	Location	Dates
VCT Masters 1	Santiago, Chile	February to March 2026
VCT Masters 2	London, United Kingdom	June 2026
VCT Champions	Shanghai, China	September to October 2026

The final weekend of each Stage 2 Playoffs will be a destination event, taking the competition to new cities in each region. Meanwhile, the Chinese circuit is getting a more expansive schedule: VCT China will feature its own dedicated tour, including five roadshow events across five cities throughout the year.

VCT 2026 Format And Tournament Structure Explained

In 2026, the VCT format will expand to deliver more high-stakes competitions across the board. This includes a departure from the previous Group Stage format in favor of bracket-style play for every event. This ensures all teams play an equal number of matches to qualify for Playoffs.

VCT Kickoff 2026 will also see major changes. It’s getting longer and will adopt a Triple Elimination format, meaning teams can lose up to three times before being knocked out from the tournament.

Each region’s final Kickoff day will send one team directly to VCT Masters 2026 Santiago, which now expands to 12 teams to mirror the second Masters later in the season.

How The VCT 2026 Qualification Path To Champions Works

In 2026, VCT Ascension is retiring in favor of the new Path to Champions system. Each region (Pacific, China, Americas, and EMEA) will send four Challengers teams to Stage 2 Playoffs, where they can earn a seat at VALORANT Champions the same way as Tier 1 teams.

Teams that reach Stage 2 will also receive a stipend. During the Plat Chat VALORANT Ep. 235 interview, Leo Faria said the stipend (reportedly $75,000) is substantial enough to pay for the project for an entire season, depending on its region and expenses.

This also means VCT teams can now qualify for Champions directly from Premier by winning the Invite Division or a Qualifier event for the Challengers league. From there, they can climb through the Challengers and into the Stage 2 Playoffs, earning a shot at the season’s biggest event.

VCT 2026 Regional Updates And Partner Team Changes

In preparation for the next season, there are a few changes to the partner teams competing in VCT 2026.

In EMEA, Gentle Mates returns to the Tier 1 league and will replace KOI, who has been relegated to Ascension. Meanwhile, Apeks has exited VALORANT entirely, opening two spots for Challengers teams to qualify via VCT Ascension.

In the Americas, one Ascension spot remains open to replace 2GAME Esports, while the Pacific region will see two new teams enter, replacing Nongshim RedForce and BOOM Esports.

Lastly, in China, Dragon Ranger Gaming has been demoted to Ascension, but the team has already secured a guaranteed return to the league for 2026.

VCT 2026 Unconfirmed Details And What to Expect Next

Right now, all eyes are on VCT Ascension in EMEA (October 18-26), the Americas (October 17-26), and the Pacific (October 13-26). These tournaments will determine the teams joining the VCT 2026 lineup, alongside those joining through the Path to Champions during the Stage 2 Playoffs.

After Ascension, the attention will shift to the regional VCT Kickoff 2026 events, where teams will compete for a place at Masters Santiago. Riot has yet to announce official Kickoff dates, so fans can look forward to more details about the new season’s schedule and structure in the months ahead.

FAQs

When does VCT 2026 start?

VCT 2026 kicks off in early January with the regional Kickoff tournaments.

What is the VCT Champions 2026 location?

VALORANT Champions 2026 will be held in Shanghai, China, bringing the season to a close in one of the world’s biggest esports hubs.

What is the VCT Champions 2026 skin bundle?

Riot has yet to reveal details about the Champions 2026 skin bundle. More information will be announced closer to the event in September 2026.

References

1. This team will WIN Champions Paris (feat. special guests) — Plat Chat VALORANT Ep. 235 (YouTube)