Riot Games outlined major changes and expansion plans for the 2026 VALORANT Champions Tour Pacific during a media day event held Monday in Seoul, setting the tone for the league’s upcoming season.

The “2026 VCT Pacific Kickoff” Media Day took place at the SOOP Sangam Colosseum in Mapo-gu and was attended by league leadership and player representatives from all 12 participating teams. Officials said the Kickoff tournament will serve as the first official VCT Pacific event of the year, awarding three qualification spots to Masters Santiago in Chile this March.

League organizers emphasized fan engagement and competitive variety as core priorities for 2026. Shin Ji-seop, head of VALORANT Esports Asia-Pacific, and product lead Hong Jun-mo highlighted structural changes aimed at increasing match volume and entertainment value while maintaining competitive integrity.

2026 VCT Pacific Kickoff Media Day Results

One of the most notable announcements was the introduction of two VCT Pacific roadshows this year. Stage 1 Finals will be held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, while Stage 2 Finals are scheduled for Busan, South Korea. Riot Games said the decision follows strong fan turnout at previous regional events and reflects a continued push to localize broadcasts, expand co-streaming, and support official viewing parties across the Asia-Pacific region.

On the competitive side, players from multiple teams identified Paper Rex and T1 as early favorites to win the 2026 Kickoff. Several cited Paper Rex’s stylistic compatibility with the current meta, while others pointed to T1’s roster depth and offseason form. Despite those projections, representatives from across the league stressed that the gap between top contenders and the rest of the field has narrowed.

Newly promoted teams Full Sense, BAREL, and Nongshim RedForce, which earned their spots through the 2025 Ascension tournament, also voiced confidence heading into their first VCT Pacific season. Team representatives said extended preparation time has helped them adjust to the league’s level of play.

The Kickoff will also debut experimental formats designed to add drama. A Triple Elimination system will give teams additional chances to remain in contention, while a new 1v1 “Brawl Mode” will replace coin tosses for map selection between equally seeded teams. The 2026 VCT Pacific Kickoff begins Thursday, launching the league’s first step toward international competition this season.