From October 22 to November 1, the VALORANT Game Changers Championship 2026 will take place in São Paulo. Ten of the world's best teams will compete for a $500,000 prize pool. The EMEA region, which currently holds only one international trophy, will be represented this year by three squads: G2 Gozen, Gentle Mates GC, and SK Nebula. Each team approaches the main tournament of the year with its own ambitions and challenges.
Seeded first from EMEA, G2 Gozen is aiming to secure their second international title following their historic triumph at the first-ever championship in 2022. Despite total dominance at the regional level and securing 10 GC EMEA trophies, the team has been somewhat unlucky on the global stage: in 2023 and 2024, they fell in the lower bracket finals, while 2025 was marked by chaotic roster changes. Under the leadership of Michaela "mimi" Lintrup, the only remaining member of the original roster, the revamped team will begin its journey on October 24 straight from the upper bracket quarterfinals. Historically, Brazilian teams have been G2 Gozen's main kryptonite, and they will face the winner of the MIBR GC vs. FENNEL GC matchup in their opening game.
For Gentle Mates GC, this season was their debut, but an incredibly successful one. The team, featuring well-known players Gülce "wens" Sürmeli and Iman "Nami" Nagaaoui, burst onto the scene in 2026. They won the first regional stage and finished second in the next two, leaving giants like GIANTX and G2 Gozen behind. The main challenge for the squad will be adapting to international playstyles and handling the pressure of the big stage. On October 23, Gentle Mates will face the defending champions, Team Liquid Brazil. Despite their underdog status, the team expresses full confidence in their abilities and readiness to put up a fight.
The region's third representative, SK Nebula, brings an impressive comeback story to the tournament. Their season started with a disastrous eighth-place finish in the first stage, which dropped the roster to the promotion/relegation tournament. However, the team not only returned to the main GC EMEA circuit but also sensationally won the second stage, crushing Gentle Mates 3-0 in the grand final. Thanks to a bronze finish in the third stage, SK Nebula booked their ticket to Brazil. High hopes are pinned on the international experience of Eda "rezq" Akçocuk and Tina "Joliinaa" Agéli. The team will kick off their campaign on October 22 with a match against China's Nova Esports GC, and a victory will set them up against the two-time world champions, Shopify Rebellion.
As a reminder: VALORANT Game Changers Championship 2026 Kicks Off: The Main Event of Women's Esports
