VCT Pacific Stage 2 enters play-ins as Gen.G, Paper Rex lead Champions 2026 race

Ahsan Kabir Published August 13, 2026

VCT Pacific Stage 2 is at its most exciting point, where the top two teams will earn a direct spot to Champions, while two additional teams will qualify through Championship Points. Stage 2 of VCT Pacific will run from July 16 until September 6. Here’s everything you need to know.

Current standings and teams to look at

The VCT Pacific group stage just finished on August 9. This is how the brackets are looking right now.

• Directly into playoffs: Gen.G, Global Esports (Alpha); Paper Rex, VARREL (Omega).
• Playing in play-ins: FULL SENSE, RRQ, Nongshim RedForce, ZETA DIVISION (Alpha); T1, KIWOOM DRX, DetonatioN FocusMe, Team Secret (Omega).
• Regional challengers: ONSIDE GAMING, Sharper Esports, Xipto Esports, QT DIG∞.

Gen.G looks like the team to beat

Image credit: Riot Games

Gen.G emerged as the scariest team in the Group Stage, securing a direct playoff ticket thanks to a dominant campaign led by ‘Kim ‘t3xture’ Na-ra.”

Global Esports also shared the spotlight. With Polvi’s explosive firepower and sharp tactical calling, GE delivered a stellar run, highlighting Pacific’s growing competitive depth.

Paper Rex facing major challenges

Image credit: Riot Games

Paper Rex remains one of Pacific’s most feared teams, securing a playoff spot alongside VARREL. PRX suffering a 0-2 loss against VARREL on August 9 was shocking. Even with this setback, f0rsakeN and Jinggg remain very dominant.

VARREL’s LOB and Bangnan are impressing everyone against the top teams. Both of the teams need to maintain their consistency because Champions qualification is on the horizon.

If you’re wondering who the favourites are to win in other regions, check out our preview on VCT Americas Stage 2. 

The play-ins present a threat

For the eight partnered squads that fell short of a direct playoff spot, their road to Champions goes through the 12-team Play-Ins alongside the four Regional Challengers teams.

Keep an eye on these play-in talents:

• Meiy (DetonatioN FocusMe): DFM has had a rough time, but Meiy is still performing incredibly well. As a Duelist, his ability to get the first kill inside a round is going to be crucial if his team wants to survive in the lower bracket.

Image credit: Riot Games

• Primmie (FULL SENSE): The standout player on this team from Thailand, Primmie has been playing amazingly well lately. He proves that newer players have the gaming skill needed to beat older, more experienced teams.

Image credit: Valorant Esports

• Kadoom (Sharper Esports): Sharper Esports goes into the Play-Ins with so much confidence. Kadoom plays very fast and aggressively, making his team a huge challenge for any top team hoping for an easy win.

Image credit: Riot Games

Key opening matchups and schedules

The Play-Ins run from August 13 until August 24. 12 teams will compete in a double-elimination format. The very first matches will feature main Pacific teams facing off against rising regional teams a classic battle between top-level veterans and emerging stars.

Opening schedule

• August 13: KIWOOM DRX vs. ONSIDE GAMING
• August 13: Rex Regum Qeon (RRQ) vs. Sharper Esports
• August 14: FULL SENSE vs. QT DIG∞
• August 14: Team Secret vs. Xipto Esports

The road for champions

After the play-ins conclude, the survivors will join the wdirect seeds in an eight-team double-elimination playoff. Matches are best-of-three, culminating in a best-of-five lower bracket final and grand final. With Champions qualification on the line, every single map matters as the play-ins determine who truly deserves to represent the region under maximum pressure.

Featured image credit: Riot Games