VALORANT Champions 2026 Playoffs: Bracket, Teams, Schedule, and More

Eight of the best teams in the world have now entered the VALORANT Champions 2026 Playoffs after almost two weeks of thrilling matchups. Running from October 7 to 18, the final stage of the tournament will see one of these teams emerge as this year's champion.

Below, we've detailed everything you need to know about the VALORANT Champions 2026 Playoffs, including the teams, bracket, schedule, and livestream details. We've also shared our predictions for the opening matchups and our insight into the favorite to lift the trophy.

Teams, Bracket, and Format

VALORANT Champions 2026 kicked off with its Group Stage on September 24. After 20 decisive matchups, the top two teams from each of the four groups have now advanced to the playoffs. Here are the remaining eight teams.

These eight teams will now compete in a double‑elimination bracket to determine the champions of the annual event. All initial matches will be best‑of‑three, while the Lower Final and Grand Final will be best‑of‑five series.

The playoff draws were conducted soon after the final match of the Group Stage, with #1 and #2 seeds placed in different pools and same‑group matchups avoided.

The playoffs bracket for Champions 2026 is as follows:

VALORANT Champions 2026 Playoff Schedule & Opening Fixtures

The VALORANT Champions 2026 playoff schedule is as follows: 

Follow Strafe for detailed fixtures, live scores, and more.

Quarterfinals Fixtures

NRG vs. T1

The reigning world champions initially found themselves in a tough spot, given how stacked their group was. However, after impressive wins against KC and Nongshim, NRG was among the first teams to earn a playoff spot.

T1 had a tougher path to the playoffs, as they started with a defeat to 100 Thieves. However, wins against FUT Esports and China's JD Gaming ensured they made it to the top eight. Between NRG and T1, the NA side stands as the clear favorite. But T1 is a team you cannot write off, especially after their decider match against FUT.

Paper Rex vs. LOUD 

Fan favorites PRX vs. Brazil's very own LOUD will likely be the most anticipated matchup of the quarterfinals. PRX came into the tournament guns blazing, producing two entertaining matchups. Although both games showed signs of the team struggling, they pushed through in classic PRX fashion.

LOUD, meanwhile, have been making waves with their young roster. While they did struggle a bit against Vitality, they have been incredibly confident and remarkable against Global Esports and EDG, and look to continue the same no matter who their opponent is.

This one's a bit harder to predict, but we're going with PRX here.

100 Thieves vs. G2 Esports

Two NA teams lock horns in this playoff matchup. G2 has been proving haters wrong left and right, and this tournament even saw them defeat EMEA's #2 seed, Team Liquid, while pushing PRX to the limit.

However, 100 Thieves are in the form of a lifetime and could very well put an end to G2's run. The Americas champions have lost only 1 of their last 17 games, and after going flawless against T1 and FUT at Champions, they are even one of the favorites to lift the trophy.

Team Vitality vs. Nongshim RedForce

Much like the other Group Stage leaders, Vitality has been exceptional at Champions so far. They rarely showed weakness against the Pacific champions and Americas finalists, except in their final map against the latter.

Nongshim, on the other hand, had a slow start after getting dominated by NRG in their opening match, but they managed to earn a playoff spot by eliminating the EMEA champions. On paper, they are as good as Vitality, but the latter's form at this event has been impeccable, so we expect the EMEA side to continue in the upper bracket. 

Who Will Win VALORANT Champions 2026? 

This is the ultimate question. While many were seen as favorites initially, after 10 days of matchups, we are down to just eight teams.

Among the final eight, 100 Thieves appear to be the absolute favorites. They won two tournaments in a row, the Esports World Cup and VCT Americas Stage 2, and with the flawless start at Champions 2026, they don't seem to be slowing down.

They have a seasoned roster with a balanced blend of promising young talent and star players like Asuna, Cryo, and bang. That, along with a 100% win record in Grand Finals this year, gives them both big‑game experience and momentum, making them an easy pick for champions.

100 Thieves are not alone, though. Some of the other playoff contenders have what it takes to give them a run for their money. Team Vitality is one of them. As the only EMEA team in the top eight, they have the hopes and support of an entire region riding on them. 

Not only that, Vitality has a proven IGL in Jamppi, and star talent like Derke and Chronicle, who have collected silverware competing at the highest level of VALORANT over the years. Being in the same bracket as 100 Thieves could make their Upper Bracket run more challenging, but this team has what it takes to make it to the Grand Final.

PRX and NRG could also make a strong claim to the Champions title. Both have experience competing all the way to the end of the tournament, and with NRG being the reigning champions, they have the confidence and the necessary skill set to emerge as the ultimate winners.

As for PRX, while their track record in VCT Grand Finals (1–4) isn't exactly satisfactory, they are the most experienced roster in the tournament and are home to some of the game's greatest players. They also finished as runners‑up at both Masters events this year.

And if there's one thing we've learned with PRX, it's to never write them off. So, much like the other three teams, Paper Rex has a good shot at taking home the Champions trophy.

Where to Watch

Viewers worldwide can tune in to VALORANT Champions 2026 live on Riot Games’ official handles on various platforms, including Twitch, YouTube, and Kick. You can also check out watch parties co-streamed by popular content creators. Here are the official links: 

• English: Twitch, YouTube, and Kick 
• Latin America (Spanish): Twitch, YouTube, and Kick 
• Brazil (Portuguese): Twitch, YouTube, and Kick 

You can also follow VALORANT Champions 2026 live on Strafe.

Follow Strafe Esports for the latest VALORANT news, and our X account for the latest content and coverage. Also, stay tuned to Strafe's YouTube channel for exclusive interviews, press conferences, and more.

Featured Image Credit: Riot Games

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