When is Valorant Champions 2026?

From September 24 to October 18, 2026, in Shanghai, China.

How many teams play at Champions?

16 teams, four from each region: Americas, EMEA, Pacific and China.

When does VCT 2027 start?

Open Qualifiers begin in November 2026 and Kickoff is planned for January 2027. Exact dates are not announced.

Where is Champions 2027?

Not announced as of October 9, 2026.

Valorant Esports Explained: VCT, Masters, Champions 2026

The Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) is Riot's official pro circuit. Teams from four regions fight through a season to reach the world final. Facts below were checked on October 9, 2026, and dates can change.

Key takeaways

Main events: Kickoff, Masters and Champions.
Champions Shanghai 2026 runs September 24 to October 18.
VCT 2027 starts with Open Qualifiers in November 2026.

How the season works

The VCT has regional leagues in the Americas, EMEA, Pacific and China. The year starts with a Kickoff, then international Masters events, then Champions at the end. In 2026 the Masters stops were Santiago (Chile, February 28 to March 15) and London (June 6 to 21).

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Champions Shanghai 2026

Item	Detail
Dates	September 24 to October 18, 2026
Venue	Mercedes-Benz Arena, Shanghai
Teams	16 (four per region)
Format	Group stage, then an 8-team double-elimination playoff
Prize pool	$2.25 million, $1 million to first place (per esports.gg)

Eight teams reached the playoffs: NRG, 100 Thieves, G2 and LOUD from the Americas, Paper Rex, T1 and Nongshim RedForce from Pacific, and Team Vitality from EMEA. The grand final is scheduled for October 18. We do not list results because they change daily.

VCT 2027: what is known

Free agency opens November 2, 2026.
Open Qualifiers begin in November across 16 regions.
Kickoff is planned for January 2027, with 12 teams per region (eight partnered, four from open play). The first Masters is planned for February 2027.
Locations and exact dates for Masters and Champions 2027 are not announced.

VALORANT Champions 2026 – If The Sun Burns Out Tonight · YouTube

Where to watch

Riot streams VCT on its official channels. Use /tournaments for the schedule and live streams, or /live for creators playing right now. Co-streams by creators also exist.