1.4 million peak viewers, 251 tournaments, and a total prize pool of more than $10.4 million – 2025 Valorant statistics have proved the game’s popularity on the global esports scene. However, the 2026 calendar is set to raise the bar even higher with its VCT events.

We have already wrapped up the Valorant Champions Tour Kickoffs, as well as witnessed NS RedForce’s impressive victory at Masters Santiago. Yet, the biggest matches are still ahead. Whether you are engaged in Valorant betting or simply enjoy watching esports, here’s a list of all major events you should not miss in 2026.

VCT 2026: Stage 1

For Stage 1, Valorant teams return to their international leagues (Americas, China, EMEA, and Pacific), where they are divided into two groups of six. They play a series of best-of-three round-robin matches to determine the four champions in each group advancing to the double-elimination playoffs.

The bottom two teams are eliminated from the competition. By the end of the Stage 1 Playoffs, we will know the top three teams qualifying for Masters London in every league. The event will take place from May 8 to May 24 in different locations:

• Americas league: Los Angeles
• China league: Hangzhou and China Beijing
• EMEA league: Berlin
• Pacific league: Seoul and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Valorant Masters London

Twelve teams qualifying for the tournament through the Stage 1 Playoffs will compete for a $1,000,000 prize pool from June 6 to June 21. It will be the first time the United Kingdom hosts the international Valorant competition. Considering the fact that many fan-favorite players are from the UK (e.g., Benjy “benjyfishy” Fish and Jake “Boaster” Howlett), such a selection promises to gather a huge audience.

All the action will take place at the Copper Box Arena with a total capacity of 7,481. London Masters will follow a traditional format of a Swiss Stage and Playoffs. The winner will take home $350,000, while the second and third places will get $200,000 and $125,000, respectively.

VCT 2026: Stage 2

Stage 2 has a similar format to Stage 1, but now only two teams from each group go straight to the Playoffs. However, those getting 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th places still have a chance to qualify. They advance to Play-Ins, where they are joined by four teams from the Challengers leagues.

This part uses a double-elimination format, meaning a team leaves the tournament if it loses twice. The four champions from Play-Ins advance to Playoffs, while the remaining participants are eliminated. The top two teams qualify for the Valorant Champions. Here’s when Stage 2 will take place:

• Group Stage: July 15 – August 2
• Play-Ins: August 5 – August 16
• Playoffs: August 20 – August 30

Valorant Champions

The Champions is the biggest and most-awaited event in the Valorant esports scene. It will be the sixth iteration of the international VCT tournament, organized by Riot Games from September 24 to October 18. Every league will have four qualifying teams, which will then be distributed into four groups.

Players will compete in best-of-three matches, with the top two teams advancing to the Playoffs. The Lower Bracket Final and Grand Final are held in the best-of-five format.

Riot Games confirmed that the Valorant Champions 2026 will take place in Shanghai, China. It will be the second international competition hosted in the city after the VCT 2024 Masters. Since this is the greatest Valorant tournament so far, the total prize pool will hit an impressive $2,250,000 this year. With $1,000,000 awarded for the first place, the competition promises to be tough.

There’s one more reason to mark the calendar for such a big event – this will be the final Champions in the franchise era, because the VCT will get back to the open qualifier format in 2027.

Where to Watch Valorant Tournaments in 2026

If you have such an opportunity, buy tickets for Valorant tournaments in advance and visit matches in person. Otherwise, take advantage of the dedicated online platforms to see the world’s best teams in action without leaving your home.

YouTube and Twitch remain the standard options for most game fans, but you can also use TikTok Mobile or Kick as an alternative. It’s a great way to both watch and stream Valorant matches while engaging with the community.

Keep in mind that each platform has its own unique features, so try them out beforehand to find the best fit for your needs. You do not need to purchase a subscription or even sign up – just play a live video broadcast and enjoy. The majority of matches are streamed with professional commentators to enhance the viewing experience for everyone.

Curious Facts about Valorant Esports Scene You Might Not Know

Valorant was released on June 2, 2020, and entered the esports scene almost right away. The first tournaments began the same year, while the Champions Tour kicked off in 2021. Since then, the competitive landscape has grown a lot, attracting dozens of esports organizations and millions of fans worldwide.

With huge prize pools and hundreds of tournaments, Valorant keeps proving that it’s one of the most exciting esports titles to follow. We have listed the most interesting game facts below to enrich your knowledge about this iconic first-person shooter:

• VCT 2024: Masters Madrid stands out as the most popular Valorant tournament so far, with a peak viewers record of 1,687,848.
• The total prize pool awarded in professional Valorant matches has reached $47 710 677.
• Riot Games and third-party organizers have already hosted 3,085 Valorant tournaments, which places the game 4^th in the global rating.
• Paper Rex, G2 Esports, Sentinels, BOOM, and Fnatic are the most active Valorant teams, each having played more than 200 matches.
• Psalm and Nitr0 are the two most profitable Valorant players with a total of $1,959,500 and $1,120,586 earned during their careers.
• The total number of professional players has reached 8,946 in 2026, with most gamers coming from the US (668), Japan (574), Germany (516), Turkey (494), and France (461).
• Valorant has 10,234,591 hours watched on Twitch.