The 2026 VCT Pacific season is set to begin this week, marking the start of a nine-month competitive journey for Riot Games’ tactical shooter VALORANT. Riot has outlined a revamped structure for the league, introducing new teams, a reworked format and a revised path to international events that will culminate at Champions Shanghai later this year.

The Pacific league has expanded to 12 teams following the addition of Full Sense as a new partner organization, alongside promoted teams VARREL and Nongshim RedForce. They join established franchises in a season Riot says is designed to increase competitive tension and maintain stakes across the entire calendar.

The season opens with VCT Pacific Kickoff on Thursday, Jan. 22, running through Feb. 15. Kickoff will debut the league’s first-ever Triple Elimination format, allowing teams to remain in contention until they suffer three losses. The top three finishers will qualify for Masters Santiago, the first international event of 2026, scheduled for March in Chile.

Following Masters Santiago, Stage 1 competition will take place from April 3 to May 17. Teams will be split into two groups and play a single round-robin, with the top four from each group advancing to the playoffs. Three teams from Stage 1 will earn berths to Masters London, keeping international qualification on the line for much of the spring.

A High-Tension Season Shaped by New Teams and Major Structural Changes

Stage 2, running from July 16 to Sept. 6, will serve as the final qualifier for Champions Shanghai, the season’s marquee event. Riot confirmed that the Stage 2 playoffs will be held in Busan, South Korea, a city long associated with major esports events. Four teams from the Pacific region will advance to Champions: the top two from the Stage 2 playoffs and the two highest teams by cumulative Championship Points earned throughout the year.

A notable addition this season is the introduction of the “Road to Champions,” which allows select Challengers teams to enter the Stage 2 playoffs. The system is intended to further connect the second-tier ecosystem with the international league and provide a clearer pathway for emerging teams to reach the global stage.

VCT Pacific Kickoff will be held at the SOOP Sangam Colosseum in Seoul and broadcast on SOOP, Chzzk and YouTube. Riot said additional offline fan events are planned throughout the season, with ticket sales handled through Interpark platforms.

The 2026 season represents one of the most significant overhauls to VCT Pacific since the league’s formation, with Riot betting that expanded access and structural changes will keep competition intense from Santiago to London and, ultimately, Shanghai.