Start with the VCT region whose teams, match times and local scene you’re most likely to follow; then choose a team based on the players, style and story you actually enjoy. Champions is a useful introduction, not a reliable permanent ranking. As of October 4, 2026, Champions Shanghai is still in progress, so the tournament’s eventual results are not yet known.
Start by choosing a region
VALORANT’s International Leagues are Americas, China (CN), EMEA and Pacific. Riot describes them as the highest regional tier, with partnered teams and a route for Challenger teams to reach the top level. Begin with the region whose matches are easiest for you to watch live, or whose teams and players you already recognize. The official VCT overview is a starting point for the league structure.
- Match times: A team in a convenient time zone is easier to follow through a full season than one you can only watch in highlights.
- Regional interest: You can support a whole league or region while you learn the teams, rather than feeling you need to pick one immediately.
- Scene and coverage: Look for interviews, match clips and community discussion you genuinely want to keep up with.
Use Champions to sample teams, not rank them for life
Champions Shanghai runs September 24 through October 18, 2026. Its sixteen teams play in four GSL groups; group matches are best-of-three, and two teams advance from each group to an eight-team double-elimination playoff bracket. A team’s short run can reveal how it plays under pressure, but one series or elimination match is only a snapshot of form. Riot’s Champions Shanghai guide explains the event format and schedule.
The 2026 qualifiers, as listed on Riot’s Champions Shanghai standings page, are:
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| Region | 2026 Champions qualifiers |
|---|---|
| Americas | NRG, G2, LOUD, 100 Thieves |
| EMEA | Vitality, FUT, Team Liquid, Karmine Corp |
| Pacific | Paper Rex, Nongshim RedForce, Global Esports, T1 |
| China (CN) | JD Gaming, XLG, TYLOO, EDward Gaming |
These are the 2026 Champions qualifiers, not a promise that the same teams or rosters will be in place in 2027. If by “after Champions” you mean after the 2025 event, treat that as a past tournament: its results do not establish the current season’s teams or lineups.
Compare what you enjoy watching
Try a few matches from teams in your preferred region and use the same questions for each. Riot’s Pick’Ems guidance recognizes stats, recent form, favorite players, team loyalty and personal “vibes” as ways fans make predictions; those can be useful fandom criteria, but none guarantees future success.
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- Players: Is there a player whose decision-making, personality or role makes you want to watch another match? Check current affiliations in Riot’s Global Contract Database rather than assuming an old tournament roster remains intact.
- Style: Notice the pace, coordination, risk-taking and agent compositions you find entertaining. You do not need to know every tactical detail to recognize a style you like.
- Form: Watch more than one series, ideally across different opponents. A run at Champions can be affected by a small sample of matches and should not be mistaken for a season-long forecast.
- Story: You might connect with an underdog, a rebuild or a team trying to return to the top. Check whether the story continues to interest you beyond one event.
- Content and community: Browse official clips, interviews and team or regional channels. The best choice is one whose updates you will actually enjoy following.
Expect teams and pathways to change
Following a team means following a moving roster and competition structure, not a fixed cast. Riot’s high-level league overview describes each International League as ten partnered teams joined by two teams ascending through Challengers. Its 2026 season update describes a particular Path to Champions route that replaced Ascension: teams qualified through Stage 2 Playoffs and Championship Points, with Challenger teams able to enter Stage 2 Playoffs and compete against International League teams. Riot said each territory would have four Challenger teams qualify for those playoffs and announced a $75,000 stipend for each Challenger team that qualified, to help with travel, visas and attendance. Those are details of the 2026 system, not a guarantee of the 2027 format. See Riot’s 2026 season-start announcement for that year’s pathway and use the current Global Contract Database for team-player affiliations.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Keep following after the event
Riot directs fans to official VALORANT Esports channels on Twitch and YouTube and its social accounts. For schedule updates and future match viewing, use official channels rather than relying on an old bracket. The Champions Shanghai watch guide describes that event’s Twitch desktop Shotcall extension and watch rewards; those are event-specific, and reward eligibility can vary by region.
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Riot’s January 6, 2026 Team Capsules announcement describes optional digital in-game items: a Classic skin, tracker inspect, animated player card, spray and gun buddy. Riot listed the standard price as 2,320 VP and 1,650 VP for buyers eligible for the repeat-buyer discount. Riot also reported sharing $100 million with VCT teams in 2025 through its capsules-related program. A Team Capsule is a game cosmetic, not physical merchandise; no purchase is needed to support or follow a team.
If you like a region but are not ready to commit to one roster, Riot’s 2026 Season Capsule is another optional in-game cosmetic. Riot says its revenue is split equally across VCT teams, while a Team Capsule is tied to an individual team. The older Champions 2025 Collection announcement reported that esports bundles raised more than $40 million for partnered teams in 2024; that historical figure is separate from Riot’s report about 2025 and does not establish that the past collection is currently available.
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