Riot rebuilt the 2026 VALORANT Champions Tour calendar. Two Masters (Santiago and London), Champions in Shanghai, and a new direct path from Challengers to Champions for four extra teams. The four regional partnership leagues stay; the international schedule changes.
Riot announced the format on 2 October 2025. Here is how the season runs, region by region. Sources at the bottom.
The four regions
- VCT Americas: North and South America. 12 teams. Played at the Riot Games Arena, Santa Monica, Los Angeles.
- VCT EMEA: Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. 12 teams.
- VCT Pacific: Asia and Oceania outside Mainland China and West Asia. 12 teams. Played at Sangam Colosseum, Mapo-gu, Seoul.
- VCT China: Mainland China. 12 teams.
Season structure
Kickoff (January 15 – February 15)
Four on-LAN Kickoff events, one per region, between 15 January and 15 February. New for 2026: the bracket moves from double-elimination to triple-elimination. The top three teams from each region's Kickoff qualify for Masters Santiago.
Masters Santiago (February 28 – March 15)
The first international event of the season, held at Espacio Riesco, Huechuraba, Santiago, Chile. Twelve teams compete, three from each of the four regions. That is up from the 2025 format of eight teams (two per region).
Stage 1, Masters London (June 6 – June 21)
After Masters Santiago, regions return to their domestic Stage 1 season. Stage 1 feeds Masters London: twelve teams competing in London, United Kingdom, from 6 to 21 June.
Stage 2 + Champions (September 24 – October 18)
Stage 2 runs after Masters London and feeds Champions. The season ends with VALORANT Champions 2026 in Shanghai, China, from 24 September to 18 October.
The new Challengers path
A change for 2026: four Challengers teams (one from each of the four international-league regions) now have a direct path to Champions through their Stage 2 Playoffs, without being in a VCT partnership league. It is the first time Challengers teams can reach Champions outside the Ascension promotion route.
Sources
Frequently asked
How many regions are in VCT 2026?
Four: Americas, EMEA, Pacific, China. Each region runs a 12-team partnership league based at a dedicated Riot studio (LA for Americas, Seoul for Pacific), with EMEA and China at their own facilities.
Where is Masters Santiago 2026 held?
Espacio Riesco in Huechuraba, Santiago, Chile. The event runs from 28 February to 15 March 2026 with 12 teams, three from each of the four regions.
Where is VALORANT Champions 2026 held?
Shanghai, China. The tournament runs from 24 September to 18 October 2026 and concludes the 2026 season.
Can Challengers teams reach Champions 2026?
Yes, new for 2026. Four Challengers teams (one from each of the four international-league regions) have a direct path to Champions through their Stage 2 Playoffs, without being in a VCT partnership league. Ascension promotion still exists separately as the route into VCT itself.
