Riot Games has rolled out the complete schedule and structure for the 2026 VCT season, providing exciting details about the Championship Points. This upcoming competitive year starts with a bang in January and will climax with the grand VALORANT Champions in Shanghai by October. Notably, the season promises to double the action from 2025 with twice the number of series.
Comprehensive 2026 VCT Schedule
The anticipated Game Changers Championship will declare its new world champion in November 2026. Fans eagerly awaiting the thrill can dive into the detailed VCT 2026 schedule:
- VCT Kickoff: January 15th to February 15th
- VALORANT Masters Santiago: February 28th to March 15th
- VCT Stage 1: March 31st to May 10th
- VCT Stage 1 Playoffs: May 6th to 24th
- VALORANT Masters London: June 6th to 21st
- VCT Stage 2: June 30th to August 16th
- VCT Season Finals: August 5th to September 6th
- VALORANT Champions Shanghai: September 24th to October 18th
- VALORANT Game Changers Championship: October/November
In 2026, Stage 2 Playoffs will feature exciting new locations worldwide and include top Challengers teams in the competition.
VCT 2026 Championship Points System
Mirroring the 2025 edition, VCT teams will earn precious Championship Points through their victories, influencing qualification for the Champions Shanghai. Here’s a detailed allocation of points per event:
Kickoff
- Winner: 4
- 2nd Place: 3
- 3rd Place: 2
- 4th Place: 1
Masters Santiago
- Winner: 6
- 2nd Place: 4
- 3rd Place: 3
- 4th Place: 2
- 5th Place: 1
- 6th Place: 1
Stage 1
- 1 point per match win
Stage 1 Playoffs
- Winner: 6
- 2nd Place: 4
- 3rd Place: 3
- 4th Place: 2
Masters London
- Winner: 8
- 2nd Place: 6
- 3rd Place: 5
- 4th Place: 4
- 5th Place: 3
- 6th Place: 3
Stage 2
- 1 point per match win
Season Finals
- Winner: 8
- 2nd Place: 6
- 3rd Place: 5
- 4th Place: 4
2026 VCT Format Overview
Riot has confirmed formats for Kickoff and Stage 1, with more details to follow. The exciting 2026 Kickoff will debut a novel triple-elimination bracket format, a first for VCT. The top challengers from the 2025 season will get a bye to the second round, and the top teams from each league will advance to Masters Santiago.
Stage 1 divides 12 teams into two groups of six, competing in a single round-robin format. The top performers will move on to Masters London, which will adopt the same setup as Masters Santiago. With the stage set for global locations and a mix of challengers, the 2026 VCT season is shaping up to be a thrilling journey for competitors and fans alike.