VALORANT Champions Shanghai, running from September 24 to October 18, 2026, brings the 2026 VALORANT Champions Tour to a close — and does so on unprecedented ground. For the first time in the tournament's history, the world championship is being held in China, marking a new chapter in VCT's global reach.
16 teams from four regions compete for a prize pool of $2.25 million. Qualification has taken place via Stage 2 playoffs and Championship Points, and the format follows four double-elimination groups leading to an eight-team playoff. The group stage takes place at Jing'an Sports Center, while the final weekend moves to Mercedes-Benz Arena in Pudong, with the grand final on October 18.
On the sporting side, NRG carries the heaviest burden: the team are the defending champions and are attempting to become the first team ever to win Champions two years in a row. They have qualified via Championship Points and face, among others, Nongshim RedForce — who won Masters Santiago — in the group stage.
The fact that the tournament is taking place in China lends the Shanghai edition a special weight as a season finale. China's own teams, TYLOO and JD Gaming, have qualified via Stage 2, while EDward Gaming and Xi Lai Gaming came through via Championship Points — four Chinese teams on home soil at a world championship that has never previously visited the country.