VALORANT Champions 2026: Playoff Bracket Set in Shanghai

The group stage of VALORANT Champions 2026 is complete, and eight teams remain in the race for the world title in Shanghai. Defending champions NRG are among them; all four Chinese teams are not.

The eight playoff teams

Sixteen teams were drawn into four groups of four, playing a double-elimination, best-of-three format, with the top two from each group advancing. The group results, according to Wikipedia's tournament page and the VLR.gg event bracket:

| Group | Winner | Runner-up | Eliminated | |-------|--------|-----------|------------| | A | 100 Thieves | T1 | FUT Esports, JD Gaming | | B | Team Vitality | LOUD | Global Esports, EDward Gaming | | C | Paper Rex | G2 Esports | Team Liquid, TYLOO | | D | NRG | Nongshim RedForce | Karmine Corp, Xi Lai Gaming |

The hosts had a tough time: TYLOO, JD Gaming, EDward Gaming and Xi Lai Gaming all went out in the groups. Karmine Corp's first-ever Champions appearance also ended in Group D, after the French side had turned their season around to win VCT EMEA Stage 2, as Red Bull's tournament guide recounts.

Upper bracket quarter-finals

The VLR.gg bracket lists the opening playoff matches:

• 7 October: NRG vs T1, Paper Rex vs LOUD
• 8 October: 100 Thieves vs G2 Esports, Team Vitality vs Nongshim RedForce

Playoff matches are best-of-three, except the lower bracket final and grand final, which are best-of-five.

Dates, venues and prize money

The event runs from 24 September to 18 October 2026, with a total prize pool of $2,250,000 and $1,000,000 for the winners, according to VLR.gg. Red Bull's guide sets out the key dates:

• Group stage and early playoffs at the 5,600-capacity Jing'an Sports Centre
• 12–15 October: rest days
• 16 October: Champions Weekend begins at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, which holds up to 18,000
• 17 October: lower bracket final (best-of-five)
• 18 October: grand final (best-of-five)

It is the first time China has hosted Champions, following Masters Shanghai in 2024.

Teams to watch

• NRG won Champions 2025 in Paris, and Red Bull notes that Ethan Arnold is the only player to have won Champions twice.
• Paper Rex reached the Masters finals in both Santiago and London this year, losing both, and arrive with a 25–9 season record according to Red Bull. The Pacific region is still waiting for its first Champions title.
• Nongshim RedForce won Masters Santiago, sweeping Paper Rex 3–0 in the final.

The last Champions of the franchise era

Wikipedia's tournament page, citing Inven Global, describes this as the final Champions of the franchise era, with the VCT moving to an open qualifier format in 2027. Valopedia reports that partner slots in the Americas, EMEA and Pacific leagues drop from 12 to 8 next year, and that players and staff at ENVY, Team Secret and PCIFIC hit the market in September ahead of that cut.

For players, coaches and staff weighing their next move, Esports Jobs Quest lists esports roles across teams and organisers. We will update this page with results from Shanghai.

Sources

• VLR.gg: Valorant Champions 2026 brackets, groups and standings
• Wikipedia: 2026 Valorant Champions
• Red Bull: VALORANT Champions 2026 teams, dates and format
• Valopedia: ENVY down to one player, Team Secret to two

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