The 2026 VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) is a 48-team Tier 1 circuit divided into Americas, EMEA, Pacific, and China. The season runs from January Kickoff through Champions Shanghai, scheduled for September 24 to October 18. For the next match, current start time, score, or lineup, use the official VALORANT Esports schedule and the relevant league page; those details change during the season.
Regional matches are generally best-of-three (Bo3). Champions Shanghai uses Bo3 group matches and a double-elimination playoff bracket, with the lower final and grand final played best-of-five (Bo5). Completed matches are available through official VALORANT Esports VOD pages, which embed YouTube playback and may separate each map into its own game tab.
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What the 2026 VCT season includes
VCT is VALORANT’s Tier 1 competition. Riot’s 2026 League Handbook defines four territories: Americas, EMEA, Pacific, and China. Together they form a 48-team circuit, with regional leagues feeding international Masters events and the season-ending Champions tournament.
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| Event | Published 2026 dates | Role in the season |
|---|---|---|
| Kickoff | January 15–February 15 | Opening competition in each territory |
| Masters Santiago | February 28–March 16 | First international Masters event |
| Stage 1 | April 1–May 24 | Regional league stage |
| Masters London | June 6–June 21 | Second international Masters event |
| Stage 2 | June 30–September 6 | Regional stage with Challenger-team Play-Ins |
| Champions Shanghai | September 24–October 18 | Season-ending world championship |
Champions Shanghai’s explainer says 16 teams from Americas, China, EMEA, and Pacific compete for the 2026 world title. The exact qualification path depends on results earlier in the season, so the current event page is the authoritative place to verify who qualified.
How to find the next VCT match
Because match times and results are live data, do not rely on an old article, social post, or calendar screenshot for a start time. Use the official VALORANT Esports schedule and filter or browse to the league or event you care about.
- Open the official VALORANT Esports schedule.
- Select the relevant territory or international event, such as Americas, EMEA, Pacific, China, Masters, or Champions.
- Read the event card for the date, displayed start time, opposing teams, event name, and match status.
- Check the format label. The schedule identifies Bo3 and Bo5 matches where applicable.
- On match day, refresh the listing before relying on the time. Delays, completed results, and broadcast links can update after the original listing was published.
The schedule is also the fastest way to answer “when is the next VCT match?” It combines upcoming fixtures with completed scores and links to the relevant event information. If a match has already started, its status and score should be more reliable there than in a third-party tracker.
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Which teams and regions are in VCT?
The four VCT territories are Americas, EMEA, Pacific, and China. The 2026 circuit contains 48 Tier 1 organizations across those territories. Riot’s official handbook lists the participating organizations by territory.
A fixed team list is not enough to identify the active lineup. Riot’s season guide describes roster-lock and player-movement restrictions, but a team’s five-player combination can still change when a permitted movement or replacement takes effect. Verify the current roster on the relevant league or event page immediately before publication or before discussing a match.
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Why roster pages can disagree
- Roster-lock rules limit when players can be registered or moved, but they do not make every lineup permanent for the whole year.
- A league page can reflect a late replacement sooner than an old season preview or team announcement.
- Substitutes, registered players, and the five players used in a particular match are not necessarily the same list.
For a current matchup, check the event page’s team entries and the league’s roster information together. Treat a third-party roster tracker as secondary when Riot’s current page is available.
How many maps are in a VCT match?
Most regional regular-season matches are best-of-three. A Bo3 ends when one team wins two maps, so it can last two maps or go to a deciding third map. A best-of-five requires three map wins and can therefore run for three, four, or five maps.
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Stage 1 regional format
Stage 1 puts each international league’s 12 teams into two groups of six. Within its group, every team plays a single round-robin: each team faces the other five teams once. That gives every team five matches across the five-week stage. Each match is Bo3.
| Stage 1 element | Format |
|---|---|
| Teams in each international league | 12 |
| Groups | Two groups of six |
| Group schedule | Single round-robin |
| Matches per team | Five over five weeks |
| Match length | Best-of-three |
“Five matches” refers to each team’s Stage 1 schedule, not a promise that each match uses five maps. A Bo3 can finish 2–0 or require a 2–1 third map.
Stage 2 and Challenger Play-Ins
Stage 2 redraws the groups and introduces Challenger teams through Play-Ins. The Play-Ins use a double-elimination format, so a team is not eliminated after its first loss; it must lose twice. Play-In survivors join the International League teams in the playoffs.
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- PC, mobile, console… it all works. Just enter your code at shop.riotgames.com/redeem and choose the game you want to use this virtual currency for
- This code is only redeemable on Riot Accounts in North America and Canada
The Stage 2 structure makes the qualification route different from Stage 1. When comparing the two stages, look at the group draw, the added Challenger route, and the playoff qualification rules rather than assuming that the same round-robin schedule applies.
Champions Shanghai format
Champions Shanghai has 16 teams divided into four groups. Group matches are Bo3. After groups, the playoff bracket is double elimination. The lower final and grand final are Bo5, meaning a finalist must win three maps to take either of those series.
| Champions Shanghai element | Format |
|---|---|
| Teams | 16 |
| Groups | Four groups |
| Group matches | Best-of-three |
| Playoff bracket | Double elimination |
| Lower final | Best-of-five |
| Grand final | Best-of-five |
Double elimination creates an upper and lower route through the bracket. A team that loses in the upper route can continue in the lower bracket, while a second playoff loss ends its tournament. The exact bracket pairing and match times should be read from the live Champions event page.
How to compare VCT events
When a schedule lists several matches, compare them using the same six questions:
- What stage is it? Regional league play, an international Masters event, or Champions.
- How did teams qualify? Stage 1 and Stage 2 regional routes differ, and Stage 2 includes Challenger Play-Ins.
- What is the structure? Stage 1 uses two six-team groups and a single round-robin; Champions uses four groups followed by a double-elimination playoff.
- How long can the match be? Identify Bo3 versus Bo5 before estimating viewing time.
- How many teams are involved? A 12-team international league stage is not the same scale as the 16-team Champions field.
- Is it live or a VOD? A completed listing may show the final score and replay link instead of a live broadcast countdown.
This framework prevents a common mistake: treating every VCT match as an identical league fixture. The event name and format label tell you whether you are watching a regional series, an international tournament, or a championship playoff.
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- This code is only redeemable on Riot Accounts in North America and Canada
Where to watch VCT live
Start from the official VALORANT Esports schedule. Its event listing provides the current date, time, teams, scores, event name, and Bo3 or Bo5 label, and it points viewers toward the event’s available broadcast links.
Broadcast language and channel availability vary by territory. A stream offered for one region may not be available in another, and the preferred language channel can change between events. Follow the links shown on the current event page instead of assuming that a previous tournament used the same channel arrangement.
Before the broadcast starts
- Confirm the event and match are the ones you intend to watch; similarly named regional and international fixtures can appear close together.
- Check the displayed time again on match day because schedule slots can move.
- Use the event page’s current broadcast links for your territory and language.
- Note whether the listing is live, upcoming, delayed, or completed before looking for a stream.
If the broadcast link is unavailable, the schedule still provides the official match status and score information. Refreshing the event page is more useful than opening an old link copied from a prior broadcast.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where to find a VCT replay or VOD
Completed matches can be opened from official VALORANT Esports VOD pages. Those pages embed YouTube playback and can expose individual game tabs, allowing you to jump to a particular map instead of watching the entire series from the beginning.
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- Choose the VOD option associated with that match.
- Use the embedded YouTube player for continuous viewing.
- If game tabs are shown, select the map you want to review. This is useful when you only need a deciding map, a specific team’s attack half, or a single game from a Bo3.
- Verify that the selected video belongs to the same event and teams. Similar event names can produce more than one result.
VOD availability can lag behind the final whistle while the recording is processed. If a completed match has no replay link yet, return to the official event page later rather than treating the absence as proof that no replay exists. The event page’s current links also account for territory-specific channel availability.
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- PC, mobile, console… it all works. Just enter your code at shop.riotgames.com/redeem and choose the game you want to use this virtual currency for
- This code is only redeemable on Riot Accounts in North America and Canada
Watching a Bo3 or Bo5 on replay
For a Bo3, expect two or three map videos or tabs, depending on how the series ended. A 2–0 result has two maps; a 2–1 result has three. For the Bo5 lower final or grand final at Champions, the replay can contain three to five maps. The match page’s score tells you how many victories each team recorded, while the VOD interface determines whether those maps are presented as separate tabs or in one continuous player.
Common schedule, roster, and VOD mistakes
Using a published time as a permanent appointment
Schedule slots and results update during the season. Use the live listing on the day of the match and account for any delay shown there.
Assuming every match is Bo3
Regional regular-season series are commonly Bo3, but Champions’ lower final and grand final are Bo5. Read the format label before planning how long to watch.
Calling an old lineup the current roster
Roster-lock and player-movement rules allow changes within the season. Check the relevant league page immediately before naming a starting five.
Looking for a replay only on a general video search
The official VOD page is the better starting point because it connects the recording to the event, score, and match listing and may provide map-specific tabs.
Expecting one broadcast language everywhere
Language and channel availability vary by territory. Use the event page’s current links for the region and language you need.
Quick Recap
Quick reference for viewers
- Territories: Americas, EMEA, Pacific, and China.
- Tier 1 circuit size: 48 teams in 2026.
- Season path: Kickoff, Masters Santiago, Stage 1, Masters London, Stage 2, then Champions Shanghai.
- Champions field: 16 teams in four groups.
- Regional Stage 1: Two groups of six; single round-robin; five Bo3 matches per team.
- Stage 2 Play-Ins: Double elimination, with survivors entering the International League playoffs.
- Replay source: Official VALORANT Esports VOD pages with embedded YouTube playback and possible game tabs.
- Best source for current details: The official schedule and the relevant league or event page.
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