Riot Games unveils full VCT 2026 schedule and format

2026 VCT Schedule and Format

Riot Games has revealed the full schedule and format for the 2026 VCT season, along with details regarding Championship Points. 

The new competitive year will begin in January with Kickoff and conclude with VALORANT Champions Shanghai in October. This upcoming season will feature twice as many series as 2025.

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As for the Game Changers Championship, it will crown its next world champion in November 2026. Fans can check out the complete schedule for VCT 2026 below:

  • 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

VCT 2026 Championship Points System

Just like in the 2025 edition, VCT teams will earn Championship Points for winning matches throughout the season. These points will determine which organisations will qualify for Champions Shanghai.

Here is the full breakdown of Championship Points allocated per event in 2026:

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 the formats for Kickoff and Stage 1, while the rest will be announced at a later date.

Kickoff

2026 Kickoff Bracket and Format
Image Credits: Riot Games

The 2026 Kickoff will introduce a brand-new triple-elimination bracket format in VCT for the first time. Out of the 12 participating teams, the top four squads from Champions 2025 in every league will receive a bye to the second round. 

From there, the top three teams from each Kickoff league will qualify for Masters Santiago. Here are the starting dates for Kickoff Americas, EMEA, China and Pacific:

  • Americas: January 15th
  • EMEA: January 20th
  • China: January 22nd
  • Pacific: January 22nd

Stage 1

Stage 1 will feature 12 teams divided into two groups of six in the Group Stage. The squads will have to compete in a single round-robin format, with the top four advancing to the Playoffs. 

In the end, the top three teams from Stage 1 Playoffs will head to Masters London, which will follow the same format as Masters Santiago. 

VCT Stage 2 Playoffs to Feature New Locations and Challengers Teams

In 2026, the Stage 2 Playoffs will take place across new locations all over the world. There will also be live events for every International League, with Riot announcing the host cities soon.

In addition to this, the top Challengers teams from each region will qualify directly to the Stage 2 Playoffs as a part of the Path to Champions programme to battle for a spot at Champions Shanghai. 

Source: https://esportsinsider.com/

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