VALORANT Champions 2026, the season-ending world championship of Riot's VCT circuit, is in its playoff phase in Shanghai. Sixteen teams entered the event, which runs from 24 September to 18 October with a $2.25 million prize pool.[1][2]
Where things stand
- NRG, the defending champions from the Americas, beat T1 2–0 in the upper-bracket quarter-finals.
- LOUD knocked Paper Rex into the lower bracket with a 2–0 win; Paper Rex then faced T1 in the lower bracket's first round.
- The grand final is scheduled for 18 October.
Earlier in the summer, 100 Thieves won the Esports World Cup Valorant event, beating NRG 3–1 — a reminder that the Americas teams arrive in form.
Betting angles
Playoff series are Bo3, with a Bo5 grand final, which tends to favour the stronger team — see map handicaps and series betting. For round markets, read Valorant pistol rounds. Where to bet: Valorant betting.
Sources
- VALORANT Champions 2026 Shanghai: results, format, schedule — Esports.gg ↩
- VALORANT Champions 2026 — Liquipedia ↩
