On October 7, the Valorant Champions 2026 playoffs stage kicks off in Shanghai, where the top eight teams in the world will compete for the biggest trophy of the year. The competition will run until October 18 in a double-elimination bracket format.
Most matches of the tournament will be played in a Best of 3 format, except for the Lower Bracket Final and the Grand Final (Best of 5). The top four teams will play their decisive matches at the 18,000-capacity Mercedes-Benz Arena, relocating there from the Jing’an Sports Center.
The main title contenders are representatives of the VCT Americas and VCT Pacific leagues. The Americas region saw all four of its representatives reach the playoffs, while Pacific only lost their local Stage 2 champions, Global Esports. The tournament's history, notably the 2025 final between NRG and Fnatic, proves that international experience and composure play a key role at Champions, rather than regional successes. Thanks to this, stage veterans NRG and Paper Rex are successfully overcoming opponents and have a chance to clash in a spectacular Upper Bracket Semifinal.
On the other side of the bracket, current form will be the defining factor. 100 Thieves have maintained peak momentum following their victories at EWC 2026 in Paris and VCT Americas Stage 2, finishing the group stage with a 2-0 record. Their first opponent, G2, is dangerous due to a lack of psychological pressure ahead of expected roster changes. Meanwhile, Nongshim RedForce, who won Masters Santiago after an undefeated spring split, will try to regain their footing following a crushing defeat by NRG in the group stage.
The Shanghai tournament has been marked by an unprecedented failure for the Chinese region. Despite hosting the event and the local team EDward Gaming winning Champions 2024, all VCT China representatives finished in last place this year. The region failed to win a single series, posting an overall map record of 2-16.
Team Vitality remains the sole hope for the EMEA region, as Team Liquid, FUT, and Karmine Corp have already been eliminated. The EMEA region generally appears tactically weak and unstable at this championship. Although Vitality advanced from the group stage with a 2-0 record and features experienced former Fnatic players (Chronicle and Derke), the squad has not yet reached its peak. Compared to battle-hardened rosters like NRG or Paper Rex, Vitality's chances of filling the void in European leadership and reaching the trophy remain extremely low.
First Round Playoffs Schedule (EEST):
- October 7 - 12:00: NRG vs T1
- October 7 - 15:00: Paper Rex vs LOUD
- October 8 - 12:00: 100 Thieves vs G2
- October 8 - 15:00: Team Vitality vs Nongshim RedForce
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