VALORANT Champions 2026 preview: Format, schedule, teams, predictions

Ahsan Kabir Last Updated September 15, 2026

The VALORANT Champions Shanghai 2026 is all set to roll, bringing 16 of the world’s best teams to Shanghai for the final battle of the 2026 VCT season. The teams will compete from September 24 to October 18, 2026, for the title of world champion and a share of the $2.25 million prize pool.

Two main venues will host the tournament. The Group Stage and Playoffs will be held at the Jing’an Sports Centre, while the top four and finals weekend will head to the Mercedes-Benz Arena.

VALORANT Champions Shanghai 2026 schedule

The group stage will run from September 24 to October 4, followed by the Playoffs from October 7 to October 18.

Image credit: Riot Games

The Group Stage matches will kick off at 5 PM, whereas the Lower Final will kick off at 3 PM. Meanwhile, the Upper Final and Grand Final will commence at 2 PM. All listed times are in GMT+8.

Schedule of the tournament:

• September 24–27: Group Stage Opening Matches
• September 29–30: Winners Matches
• October 1–2: Elimination Matches
• October 3–4: Decider Matches
• October 7–8: Playoffs Round 1
• October 9: Lower Round 1
• October 10: Upper Round 2
• October 11: Lower Round 2
• October 16: Upper Final and Lower Semifinal
• October 17: Lower Final
• October 18: Grand Final

With plenty of action scheduled, the tournament offers many VALORANT betting opportunities. Be sure to check out the teams’ past results, recent roster changes, and their impact from the roster meta for more analytical bets.

VALORANT Champions Shanghai group stage teams

Image credit: Riot Games

16 teams divided into four groups, with each group featuring four teams.

• Group A: 100 Thieves, JD Gaming, FUT Esports, T1.
• Group B: Global Esports, LOUD, EDward Gaming, Team Vitality.
• Group C: TYLOO, Team Liquid, Paper Rex, G2 Esports.
• Group D: Karmine Corp, Nongshim RedForce, NRG, XLG Esports.

Every group will use the GSL-style double-elimination system. A team has to win two matches to qualify, and two defeats in the Group stage will lead to disqualification from the tournament. All matches throughout the Group stage will be played in a best-of-three (Bo3) format. 

Only the best two teams from every group will advance to the playoffs phase. You will be able to keep with the VALORANT live score from our website.

VALORANT Champions Shanghai group stage matches & playoffs format

Opening matches kick off on September 24 and will continue until September 27.

• September 24: Team Liquid vs. Paper Rex; TYLOO vs. G2 Esports.
•  September 25: Nongshim RedForce vs. NRG; Karmine Corp vs. XLG Esports
• September 26: Global Esports vs. Team Vitality; LOUD vs. EDward Gaming
• September 27: 100 Thieves vs. T1; JD Gaming vs. FUT Esports

The remaining group stage matches will consist of winners matches, elimination matches and decider matches from September 29 to October 4.

The eight teams surviving the group stage will enter the double-elimination playoff bracket. This gives each team a second chance after a first-round loss. Most playoff matches will be in a best-of-three (Bo3) format, while the lower final and grand final will be played as best-of-five (Bo5) series.

Where to watch VALORANT Champions Shanghai

Image credit: Riot Games

Fans can catch all the VALORANT Champions Shanghai 2026 tournament via the official VALORANT Esports channels.

The games are going to be streamed on Twitch and YouTube; meanwhile, fans can keep up with live updates, match results, highlights, and more from the tournament via X (Twitter), Facebook, and more. 

Stay tuned for more esports news throughout the VALORANT Champions tournament.

Featured image credit: Riot Games