Ten squads earned their spots across six regions
Team Liquid Visa and Shopify Rebellion Gold are back after making the 2025 final in Seoul. Liquid took that match and now heads to Brazil as defending champion. G2 Gozen, Gentle Mates GC, SK Nebula, KRU Blaze, Gen.G GC, FENNEL GC, MiBR and Nova Esports GC round out the lineup.
Qualification ran through regional events in North America, EMEA, China, Pacific, Brazil and Latin America. As a result, the opening matches pit together teams that came up through different paths rather than a group chosen by invitation.
Pick’Ems pay out for correct calls
Predictions can be entered on the tournament website or via the Esports Hub inside the VALORANT client. Entries close on 22 October at roughly 11:10am Pacific time, ten minutes before the first match is set to begin. A Riot account is required to save picks.
Making at least one prediction unlocks the Genio title. Anyone who ends up in the top 50 per cent gets the Coconut Raze Buddy, and the top 20 per cent receive the gold version. These rewards depend on Pick’Ems results and are separate from those for watching broadcasts.
Three separate viewing rewards from Riot
The MIGA title needs at least 30 minutes of eligible viewing between 22 and 31 October. The Mais Que Amigas spray goes to anyone who watches at least 30 minutes of the grand final on 1 November. The BRABA title requires 30 minutes alongside an eligible on-site co-streamer, between 30 October and 1 November.
Riot accounts need to be linked to Twitch or Kick before watching in order to earn Drops. Official VALORANT Esports channels will also air the matches on YouTube, but viewers who want any of the viewing rewards should watch on a linked, eligible platform.
One loss keeps a team alive in the bracket
This championship runs a double-elimination format. A team dropping its first series falls to the lower bracket, and a second loss knocks it out. Most series are best-of-three, while the lower-bracket final and the grand final are best-of-five.
The bracket graphic lays out the route through the upper and lower sections. It shows how a first defeat differs from elimination without guessing how any team will perform.
Key tournament details
- Dates: 22 October to 1 November 2026
- Venue: Riot Games Arena Sao Paulo
- Teams: 10
- Format: Double-elimination bracket
- Most series: Best-of-three
- Lower final and grand final: Best-of-five
- Rest day: 29 October
Berlin viewers should note the time change
Games on 22, 23 and 24 October start at 20:00 and 23:00 Berlin time, still on CEST. Europe switches to CET on 25 October, so the start times listed for 25 to 28 October shift to 19:00 and 22:00 in Berlin. No matches are played on 29 October.
The last weekend kicks off at 19:00 CET on 30 and 31 October. The grand final begins at 20:00 CET on 1 November, since the United States leaves daylight time that day. In Sao Paulo, arena doors open at 14:00 and the opening match starts at 15:00 local time.
