The VALORANT season returns in 2026 with another exciting VCT EMEA Kickoff stage. Check out the new format and schedule!
The VCT EMEA: Kickoff stage is returning to Berlin, Germany, in 2026 with new teams, rosters, and format. There is a lot to unpack here, so let's dive right into it.
VCT EMEA 2026 Kickoff: Triple elimination format
In the first regional tournament of the year, 12 teams will battle each other for a spot in the Masters Santiago event. Only three will make it to the first international event of 2026. From Jan. 20 to Feb. 15, these teams will go through a triple elimination bracket.
Triple elimination means that the teams will have three lives in the event. Lose the third, and you're out. The teams can either win and keep their place in the Upper Bracket or lose and go to either the Middle Bracket or the Lower Bracket if they lose more matches. Rather than one Grand Final, the fans will have three exciting finals to determine which teams are going to the Masters Santiago.
The VALORANT Champions 2025 representatives will receive a free pass to Round 2 of the Upper Bracket, where they will wait for the winners of Round 1 to play against. These teams are Fnatic, Team Liquid, GIANTX, and Team Heretics.
Every series will be best-of-three (Bo3), except for the three finals, which will all be best-of-five (Bo5). The next year promises a stage full of exciting matches.
VCT EMEA Kickoff 2026: Week-by-week breakdown
Week 1 - Upper Bracket Rounds 1 and 2
During the first week, we will have the first matches of the event. The first round will feature all the teams that were not in the VALORANT Champions 2025 tournament. The winners will play against the representatives of that event.
Week 2 - Middle Bracket & Upper Bracket Semi-Finals
In the second week, the eight losing teams will drop to the Middle Bracket and compete once more on Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday, we will have the Upper Bracket matches to decide the first finalists. Friday returns with another Middle Bracket battle featuring the winning four teams from the beginning of the week.
Week 3 - Survival rounds
This will be the do-or-die week as we start the Lower Bracket run. On Tuesday, the first two matches will decide who's coming home. The winners will have a day to rest until their next match. On Wednesday, the Middle Bracket returns with two matchups. Thursday and Friday, we will have four Lower Bracket clashes, each in a different round, as teams fight their way to the Lower Finals.
Week 4 - The Big Three
All the emotion will culminate in the last week of battles. From Thursday to Sunday, we will get to watch the three big Grand Finals. The matches start on 6 p.m. on Thursday and Sunday, while the Friday and Saturday matches begin at 2 p.m. CET.
The remaining rounds of the Middle and Lower Brackets will be on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, prior to each final. Even if teams lose in the Upper and Middle Bracket finals, they will have a second or a third chance to win a bracket and qualify. Everything is possible.
For the teams that couldn't make it until the end, don't worry. You will have the opportunity to participate in a brand-new EMEA tournament schedule to take place before the Masters Santiago. Riot Games will reveal more information soon.
Teams participating
In 2026, we welcome PCIFIC Esports and ULF Esports to the main stage, as they qualified from the VCT Ascension EMEA. Here is a list of all the VCT EMEA: Kickoff 2026 teams:
- FUT Esports
- Gentle Mates
- GIANTX
- Karmine Corp
- Natus Vincere
- PCIFIC Esports (NEW)
- ULF Esports (NEW)
Championship Points
The top four teams will win Championship Points. These points will be very important at the end of the season. The top two teams with the most Championship Points will qualify for the VALORANT Champions Shanghai, the biggest event of the year.
Ticket sales and venue location
The Riot Games Arena in Berlin, Germany, is ready to welcome fans back for another incredible VALORANT season. Tickets will be available on Thursdays and Fridays during the first three weeks of the event, and then every day throughout the fourth week.
You can purchase the first tickets on the official VCT EMEA Tickets page starting Dec. 11 at 6 p.m. CET. Prices range from €10 ($12) to €20 ($23). The address to the venue is Am Studio 20D, 12489 Berlin, Germany.
Where to watch the VCT EMEA 2026: Kickoff Stage
You want to follow the event but can't be there in person? Don't worry. You can watch all the VCT EMEA 2026: Kickoff stage teams on the VALORANT EMEA official YouTube and Twitch channels. As for the co-streamers of the event, they will be revealed closer to the tournament. We will keep you updated on that.
That's all for now. Stick around for more VALORANT news, guides, and updates on esports.gg.
