Valorant Champions 2026: Dates, Teams, Format
Valorant Champions 2026 runs in Shanghai from 24 September to 18 October: the 16 teams, the four groups, the playoff format and the $2.25M prize pool.
VALORANT Champions 2026 is being played in Shanghai, China, from 24 September to 18 October 2026. Sixteen teams compete for a $2,250,000 prize pool, with $1,000,000 going to the winner. Riot Games organises the event with TJ Sports. The facts on this page come from Liquipedia's event page, checked on 30 September 2026 while the group stage was under way, so for live scores use VALORANT Esports or Liquipedia.
This page used to carry predictions for the event. We have replaced them with what is confirmed: dates, venues, teams, groups and format.
Key facts
| VALORANT Champions 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Dates | 24 September – 18 October 2026 |
| Group stage | 24 September – 4 October |
| Playoffs | 7 – 18 October |
| City | Shanghai, China |
| Venues | Jing'an Sports Center (group stage and playoffs), Mercedes-Benz Arena (top four) |
| Teams | 16 |
| Prize pool | $2,250,000 |
| Map pool | Abyss, Ascent, Split, Sunset, Summit, Haven, Lotus |
The four groups
| Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 Thieves | Global Esports | TYLOO | Karmine Corp |
| JD Gaming | LOUD | Team Liquid | Nongshim RedForce |
| FUT Esports | EDward Gaming | Paper Rex | NRG |
| T1 | Team Vitality | G2 Esports | XLG Esports |
Teams are listed in draw order, not standings. The draw placed one team from each seeding pool in every group and kept teams from the same region apart.
How the teams qualified
- Stage 2 winners: 100 Thieves (Americas), TYLOO (China), Karmine Corp (EMEA), Global Esports (Pacific).
- Stage 2 runners-up: LOUD (Americas), JD Gaming (China), Team Liquid (EMEA), Nongshim RedForce (Pacific).
- Championship Points: NRG and G2 Esports (Americas), EDward Gaming and XLG Esports (China), FUT Esports and Team Vitality (EMEA), Paper Rex and T1 (Pacific).
Format
- Group stage (24 September – 4 October): four double-elimination (GSL) groups of four teams. Every match is best of three, and the top two in each group reach the playoffs.
- Playoffs (7 – 18 October): an eight-team double-elimination bracket. Matches are best of three, except the lower bracket final and the grand final, which are best of five.
Prize money
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st | $1,000,000 |
| 2nd | $400,000 |
| 3rd | $250,000 |
| 4th | $130,000 |
| 5th–6th | $85,000 each |
| 7th–8th | $50,000 each |
| 9th–12th | $30,000 each |
| 13th–16th | $20,000 each |
How to watch
Riot streams the event on the VALORANT channels on Twitch and YouTube, with co-streams and regional broadcasts in many languages. If you play as well as watch, our Valorant economy guide explains the save, force and full-buy decisions you will see teams make every half.
For the other big events this autumn, see our LoL Worlds 2026 guide and the 2026 CS2 Majors.
If you bet on Valorant, Thunderpick advertises Valorant betting in its own ads. 18+, gamble responsibly.
Frequently asked questions
Q: When and where is Valorant Champions 2026? A: In Shanghai, China, from 24 September to 18 October 2026. The group stage runs to 4 October and the playoffs from 7 to 18 October, with the top four played at the Mercedes-Benz Arena.
Q: How much is the Valorant Champions 2026 prize pool? A: $2,250,000 in total, with $1,000,000 for the winner and $400,000 for the runner-up.
Q: How many teams play at Valorant Champions 2026? A: Sixteen: the top two from each of the four regional leagues' Stage 2, plus eight teams that qualified on Championship Points.
Q: What is the Valorant Champions 2026 format? A: Four double-elimination groups of four with best-of-three matches, then an eight-team double-elimination playoff. The lower bracket final and grand final are best of five.
SOURCES
- VALORANT Esports (valorantesports.com)
