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VCT 2026: China Stage 2

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The VCT 2026: China Stage 2 is the most important and final regional stop in the official VALORANT competitions in China for the year 2026. The tournament is organized by Riot Games, and this year its matches will take place between the cities of Changsha and Chengdu, to determine the regional champions and qualifiers for the larger global event VALORANT Champions 2026 in Shanghai.

VALORANTJul 9, 2026 – Aug 23, 2026Changsha - Chengdu, ChinaChina$250,000TJ Sports, Hero Esports, Riot Games

Format

1. Group Stage

  • Format: 12 teams are split into two groups of 6.
  • Matches: Every team plays against everyone in their group once (All matches are Bo3).
  • Where do they go next?
  • Top 2 teams from each group advance directly to the Playoffs.
  • 3rd, 4th, and 5th place teams go to the Play-Ins Upper Bracket Round 2.
  • 6th place teams go to the Play-Ins Upper Bracket Round 1.

2. Ranking Matches

  • Format: Teams with the same placement from both groups play a single head-to-head match (Bo3).
  • Goal: To determine the official regular season seeding for the Play-Ins and Playoffs.

3. Play-Ins

  • Format: A 10-team Double-Elimination bracket (teams get a second chance if they lose once).
  • The Teams: 8 teams from the Group Stage + 2 teams from the China National Tournament.
  • Matches: All matches are Bo3.
  • Goal: The Top 4 teams advance to the Playoffs; the rest are eliminated.

4. Playoffs

  • Format: An 8-team Double-Elimination bracket (4 from Groups + 4 from Play-Ins).
  • Matches: Mostly Bo3, except for the Lower Bracket Final and Grand Final, which are Bo5.
  • The Ultimate Prize: The Top 2 teams qualify directly for the global Champions tournament.