The biggest week of the Valorant calendar is here. Valorant Champions 2026 gets underway in Shanghai this week, with sixteen teams from the four VCT regions chasing the world title through a run that ends on October 18. The group stage and playoffs are staged at the Jing’an Sports Center, while finals weekend moves to the Mercedes-Benz Arena – the same venue that hosted the Masters Shanghai finals in 2024.
How the field was built
This year, the top two teams from each region’s Stage 2 qualified directly, and the remaining two slots per region went to the next-best teams in the Championship Points standings. The draw, held on stage in São Paulo right after the Americas Stage 2 grand final, placed the teams into four groups of four, with the only restriction being that two teams from the same region could not share a group. Each group runs in a GSL-style format of opening, winner’s, elimination and decider matches, and the top two sides from every group move on to the playoffs.
Group A and B: the regional champions set the tone
Group A is headlined by 100 Thieves, who arrive as Americas #1 after edging LOUD 3-2 in the Stage 2 final in São Paulo. They open against T1 (Pacific #4), while JD Gaming (China #2) face Turkish side FUT Esports (EMEA #3). On paper it looks like one of the more balanced groups in the tournament.
Group B belongs to Global Esports, who claimed their first-ever VCT title with a dramatic reverse sweep over Nongshim RedForce in the Pacific final. They meet Team Vitality (EMEA #4), an organisation riding momentum after its Counter-Strike roster lifted the StarSeries Fall trophy last weekend. LOUD, who added analyst balax ahead of the trip to China, take on EDward Gaming in the other opener.
Group C: Team Liquid and Paper Rex kick things off
The very first match of the event is Team Liquid versus Paper Rex. Liquid (EMEA #2) made a notable change before the tournament by benching purp0 in favour of GSR, so the opener doubles as the first real test of that decision on the international stage. Paper Rex, the Pacific #3 seed, remain one of the most aggressive and unpredictable teams in the world. The second match pits hosts-region favourite TYLOO (China #1) against G2 Esports (Americas #4), setting up a potential G2 vs Paper Rex rematch later in the group.
Group D: the group of death
If one group has fans nervous, it is Group D. Karmine Corp enter as EMEA #1, Nongshim RedForce as Pacific #2 and NRG as Americas #3 – three sides with legitimate title ambitions. Xi Lai Gaming (China #4) complete the group and will be looking to play spoiler. With only two playoff spots available, at least one of the three heavyweights is guaranteed to fly home early. The openers are Karmine Corp vs Xi Lai Gaming and Nongshim RedForce vs NRG.
What to watch for bettors
Early group matches at international events are traditionally where upsets happen, as teams adjust to a new patch, a new venue and unfamiliar opponents. Chinese teams also get a partial home-crowd advantage in Shanghai. For anyone planning to follow the action with a wager, it is worth reading up on how welcome bonuses work before the playoffs start – Champions is typically when operators run their biggest Valorant promotions. As always, bet responsibly and only with money you can afford to lose.
Four weeks, sixteen teams, one trophy. Champions Shanghai starts now.
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