VALORANT Champions Shanghai to Begin September 24 With 16 Teams Fighting for World Title

Sixteen of the world's leading VALORANT teams will meet in Shanghai from September 24 to October 18 for Champions 2026, the season-ending tournament that will determine this year's world champion.

VALORANT Champions Shanghai will begin on September 24, bringing together 16 teams from the Americas, EMEA, Pacific and China for the biggest event of the 2026 VALORANT esports season. The Grand Final is scheduled for October 18.

For readers less familiar with the competitive scene, Champions is effectively VALORANT's world championship. Teams spend the season competing in regional VCT leagues and international Masters events before earning one of the limited places at the final tournament of the year.

Each of the four major regions is sending four representatives. Americas will be represented by NRG, G2 Esports, LOUD and 100 Thieves; EMEA by Team Vitality, FUT Esports, Team Liquid and Karmine Corp; Pacific by Paper Rex, Nongshim RedForce, Global Esports and T1; and China by JD Gaming, Xi Lai Gaming, TYLOO and EDward Gaming.

The tournament begins with a group stage running from September 24 to October 4. The 16 teams will be divided into four groups, with two defeats meaning elimination. All group matches are best-of-three series, and the top two teams from each group will advance, reducing the field from 16 to eight.

The playoffs will begin on October 7 and use a double-elimination bracket, meaning a team can survive one defeat but is eliminated after a second. Most playoff matches will also be best-of-three, while the lower-bracket final and Grand Final will be played as best-of-five series.

The opening day already offers two notable international matchups. Team Liquid will face Paper Rex in the first series on September 24, followed by China's TYLOO against G2 Esports. The following days will feature matches including Nongshim RedForce versus NRG, Global Esports versus Team Vitality and LOUD against EDward Gaming.

Champions Shanghai also reflects how competitive VALORANT has become in 2026. Riot noted that both Masters tournaments this season produced new champions, while several teams that were previously outside the established elite have emerged as serious international contenders. That makes the Shanghai field less predictable than a simple contest between a small number of traditional favourites.

The tournament will initially be played at Shanghai's Jing'an Sports Center before moving to the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Pudong for the final weekend. Alongside the matches, Riot is again offering Pick'Ems predictions and in-game rewards for viewers.

With four regions represented equally and only half of the field surviving the group stage, Champions Shanghai should quickly produce high-stakes matches between teams with very different styles and competitive backgrounds. By October 18, one of the 16 participants will leave Shanghai as the 2026 VALORANT World Champion.