Look Sports Media – The United Kingdom is finally set to become a major battleground in the Valorant Champions Tour (VCT), with London confirmed as the host city for the second VCT Masters tournament of 2026. This landmark event, preceding Valorant Champions 2026 in Shanghai, marks a significant moment for UK Valorant fans and the burgeoning esports scene.
The international competition will bring together the top Valorant teams from around the globe to compete in the heart of the English capital in June 2026. While specific dates and the venue are yet to be announced, the anticipation is already building.
The UK’s passion for Valorant is undeniable, exemplified by Fnatic’s current run in the Valorant Champions Paris finals, spearheaded by British star Jake "Boaster" Howlett. The announcement of VCT Masters London further solidifies the UK’s position as a key player in the global Valorant landscape. 2026 is shaping up to be a banner year for UK esports, with Dreamhack and ESL One also slated to hit Birmingham.
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Alongside London and Shanghai, Santiago, Chile, will host the first Valorant Masters of 2026. This marks the first VCT event in the LATAM region and the first Valorant event in South America since Lock In São Paulo 2023.
Riot Games is significantly expanding the VCT’s reach in 2026, aiming to visit double the number of countries compared to 2025. This expansion will be facilitated through roadshows in new cities during the final weekends of VCT Playoffs across all four regions. Notably, VCT CN in China will adopt a roadshow format for the entire year, visiting five cities in total.
Beyond locations, Riot Games has unveiled significant changes to the VCT structure for 2026. While a complete overhaul was initially planned for 2027, some of these changes are being implemented a year early, including adjustments to tournament formats.
Kick Off will be extended and feature a new triple elimination format, granting teams three chances instead of the traditional two. This will culminate in three consecutive days of intense competition, with each day qualifying a single team for Valorant Masters Santiago.
Valorant Masters 1 (London) will be expanded to accommodate 12 teams, creating a more competitive and thrilling tournament. Furthermore, VCT Champions Shanghai will, for the first time, allow Challengers teams to qualify, opening up new opportunities for emerging talent.
Ascension tournaments are being replaced with a direct path to Valorant Champions. In Stage 2, Challenger teams will battle in the Playoffs for a coveted spot at Champions. Riot has stated that qualifying for Champions will provide teams with substantial benefits, including significant compensation from digital goods. This change aims to address the issue of Challenger teams losing their best players to established VCT teams before having the chance to compete at the highest level.
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