Riot Games has unveiled the VCT 2026 schedule, and it’s the most ambitious season of Valorant esports yet. Three international Masters events, a revamped league structure, and the return of Champions with an expanded format. The VCT Masters 2026 schedule promises to bring top-tier competition to new regions while maintaining the league system that has made Valorant one of the most stable esports ecosystems.
Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming competitive season.
Masters Locations and Dates
The 2026 Valorant Champions Tour features three international Masters events, each hosted in a different region. The season kicks off with Masters Bangkok in April, followed by Masters São Paulo in June, and Masters Tokyo in September. The season concludes with Champions Paris in December.
This geographic diversity reflects Riot’s commitment to growing Valorant esports globally. Each Masters event will feature 12 teams: the top finishers from the four International Leagues (Americas, EMEA, Pacific, China). The format remains double-elimination with a grand finals bracket.
Here is the breakdown of the VCT 2026 schedule:
| Event | Location | Dates | Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Bangkok | Bangkok, Thailand | April 12-25, 2026 | 12 |
| Masters São Paulo | São Paulo, Brazil | June 14-28, 2026 | 12 |
| Masters Tokyo | Tokyo, Japan | September 6-20, 2026 | 12 |
| Champions Paris | Paris, France | December 1-14, 2026 | 16 |
International League Format Changes
The four International Leagues (Americas, EMEA, Pacific, China) return for 2026 with a refined format. Each league now features 10 partner teams competing in a double round-robin regular season. The top six from each league qualify for the league playoffs, with the winner earning a direct seed to Champions.
A new “Rising Series” has been added for teams outside the partner system. This tier-two circuit gives aspiring organizations a path to promotion, with the winner of each Rising Series earning a spot in the following year’s partnership consideration.
The relegation system has been clarified: the bottom-performing partner team in each league enters a promotion tournament against the top two Rising Series teams . The winner claims the partnership slot for the next season.
Champions Expansion
The 2026 Champions event expands to 16 teams, up from 12 in previous years . Qualification slots are distributed as follows:
- 2 slots per International League (8 total)
- 2 slots from the Rising Series circuit
- 2 slots from the China league (now considered a full International League)
- 4 slots from performance-based regional qualifiers
The expanded format allows for a group stage before the knockout bracket, giving more teams international experience and reducing the chance of early elimination for top contenders.
Prize Pool Increases
Riot has increased the total prize pool for the 2026 season to $10 million, up from $7.5 million in 2025 . Champions will feature a $3 million prize pool, with the winning team taking home $1 million . Masters events each have $1 million prize pools, with International Leagues distributing the remaining $3 million across regular season and playoff placements.
Player stipends for partner teams have also increased, with each player receiving a minimum salary of $75,000 per year, plus performance bonuses and revenue sharing from in-game team cosmetics.
Regional Growth
The expansion to Bangkok, São Paulo, and Tokyo reflects Valorant’s growing popularity in Asia and South America. According to Riot, viewership from these regions has grown 40% year-over-year, justifying the increased investment.
China remains a key focus. The China International League now operates independently with dedicated production and broadcast teams, and the region’s teams have become increasingly competitive on the global stage.
