Riot Games has outlined the structure for the 2026 season of the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT), introducing a revamped competitive format that opens multiple new qualification routes to the year’s flagship event, Champions Shanghai.
According to the announcement, teams from both the VCT International Leagues and the Tier 2 Challengers ecosystem will have a chance to qualify for Champions, marking a shift towards a more open and performance-driven system across the season.
Expanded Kickoff and Masters Santiago Qualification
The 2026 calendar will begin with an expanded Kickoff tournament featuring twelve teams per International League.