Riot Games Announces Valorant Champions Shanghai from October 24
Written with artificial intelligence.
The 2026 Valorant Champions will take place in Shanghai, China, from October 24 to October 18. Teams like Global Esports, NONGSHIM RedForce, Paper Rex, and T1 are vying for their first championship title, with the finals set to be held at the Mercedes-Benz Arena on October 18.
Event Details
Riot Games has revealed that the 2026 Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) will culminate in the Valorant Champions Shanghai, running from October 24 to October 18 in Shanghai, China. This tournament will feature four Pacific teams: Global Esports (GE), NONGSHIM RedForce (NS), Paper Rex (PRX), and T1, all competing for their first championship title.
Tournament Format
Matches will be held at the Jingan Sports Center and the Mercedes-Benz Arena, where the finals will take place on October 18. Valorant is a tactical shooter game developed and published by Riot Games, featuring 5v5 character-based gameplay.
The Pacific region is the only one yet to claim a championship title, despite winning the Masters four consecutive times from 2024 in Shanghai to 2026 in Santiago. In previous Champions events, they have achieved one second-place finish and two third-place finishes.
Key Teams and Players
- Global Esports (GE): The Pacific Stage 2 champions and first seed, featuring MVP Udotan Ko Kyung-won and PatMeN Patrick Mendoza, known for their aggressive strategies.
- NONGSHIM RedForce (NS): The runner-up of the Pacific Stage 2, making their first appearance in the Champions with players like Francis Kim Moo-bin and Rb Gu Sang-min.
- Paper Rex (PRX): The 2023 Champions Los Angeles runner-up, with key players f0rsakeN Jason Susanto leading the team.
- T1: The Masters Bangkok champions, led by stax Kim Gu-taek.
Other notable teams include EMEA's top seed Karmine Corp (KC), China's Edward Gaming (EDG), and Americas' NRG Esports, all bringing their own strengths and experiences to the competition.
Group Stage Composition
The group stage will feature four groups, each containing four teams:
- Group A: T1, 100 Thieves (100T), JDG, Foot Esports (FUT)
- Group B: GE, Team Vitality (VIT), LOUD, EDG
- Group C: PRX, Tyloo Esports (TYL), G2, Team Liquid (TL)
- Group D: NONGSHIM RedForce, KC, XLG, NRG
As the tournament approaches, anticipation builds for what promises to be an exciting competition among some of the world's best Valorant teams.