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 Nov 26, 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 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:

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 of the tournament.

Each regional Kickoff will run as a three-day triple elimination bracket, with the top 3 teams from each league qualifying for VCT Masters 2026 Santiago.

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 after relegation from VCT EMEA. The two open league spots for 2026 will be filled by ULF Esports and BBL PCIFIC, the 2025 Ascension winners. 

In the Americas, Envy won the 2025 Ascension tournament and will replace 2GAME Esports in the VCT Americas league for 2026.

In the Pacific region, Nongshim RedForce held onto its VCT Pacific slot by winning the decisive Ascension series against BOOM Esports, while SLT Seongnam earned its promotion as a new Korean representative.

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

With Ascension wrapped up and the VALORANT Game Changers Championship underway, the attention will soon shift to the regional VCT Kickoff 2026 events. Here, teams will compete for a place at Masters Santiago.

While Riot has not yet finalized the full 2026 calendar, the regional Kickoff tournaments are expected to begin in January 2026. This hub will be updated as more official schedule details and venue information are revealed.

FAQs

When does VCT 2026 start?

VCT 2026 starts in January 2026 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)