Riot Games has unveiled the official qualification path Premier teams need to follow to reach VALORANT Challengers through its Path to Champions programme.
The 2026 season will feature a total of 14 Challenger Leagues across the Pacific, Americas, and EMEA regions. However, the biggest news is the removal of Challengers Oceania.
From the Challenger Leagues, the top teams will advance directly to the VCT Stage 2 Playoffs, where they will compete for a place at Champions Shanghai.
Below is the promotional system Premier teams in each region will go through to qualify for their respective Challengers Leagues.