Everything you need to know about 2026 Challengers and Game Changers EMEA

Both Challengers and Game Changers for the Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region will have new tournaments and a lot of interesting additions in the 2026 season. There is a lot to unpack, so let's dive into it.

In 2026, Riot Games is introducing the VALORANT EMEA Clash. The Challengers league will start on Jan. 5 and can run up to Feb. 12. Each Challenger league will set its own dates and formats, so you'll need to pay attention to the local organizers for more updates.

The VCT EMEA 2026 Kickoff will run in parallel with the EMEA Challengers. Teams that fail to qualify for Masters Santiago will compete in the VALORANT EMEA Clash, a brand-new tournament that puts Tier 1 and Tier 2 teams against each other.

From Feb. 16 to Feb. 26, fans can expect thrilling matchups and upsets, keeping the action going between the end of Kickoff and the start of Masters Santiago. This is the first time in the year that Challenger teams will compete against VCT EMEA teams. Here is the 2026 Challengers EMEA official schedule:

Ahead of Challengers EMEA 1 and 2, each league will host an additional Qualifier Tournament. The top two teams from each regional league, along with four teams from the NORTH//EAST region, will qualify for each Challengers EMEA event, resulting in a total of 14 teams competing in each tournament.

As for the Challengers EMEA 3, things will be a little bit different, since the event will assure a qualification for the VCT EMEA Stage 2 and, in turn, the VALORANT Champions Shanghai.

Eight of the best-performing teams from the regional Challenger Leagues will be given slots: two from NORTH//EAST and from MENA Resilience, and one from France Revolution, DACH Evolution, Spain Rising, and Türkiye Birlik.

They will be joined by an additional eight teams from the Challengers circuit by points to take the tournament to a total of 16 teams. The top four will be present in the VCT EMEA Stage 2 Play-Ins.

The Challengers team will have two opportunities to qualify for VCT EMEA Stage 2 Play-Ins. The top three teams in the Challengers EMEA Stage 3 will immediately qualify. Then, there will be a Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ) event to decide the final spot. The details and format will be revealed later.

The Game Changers circuit is going to be bigger and better than ever in 2026. Riot Games is bringing more opportunities to the EMEA inclusive scenario to play and showcase its skills. In terms of format, it will remain mostly the same as 2025, with a Kickoff event and three Stages with 10 teams competing in each.

To complement the regional tournaments, Riot Games is introducing the Game Changers EMEA Circuit. This new circuit will include both the domestic events and all-new Cash Cups, providing the teams more chances to compete, earn points, and improve their ranking.

These Cash Cups will be fast-paced tournaments, offering additional opportunities to compete for prize pools. Running monthly from February 2026 through the end of the year, all events will be held online. Both regional Game Changers teams and GC EMEA teams will be eligible to compete.

Similar to 2026 Challengers EMEA 3, the Cash Cups will give teams a chance to be promoted into Game Changers EMEA 3 Play-Ins and potentially onto the Game Changers Championship. The top teams across the Regional Challenger Leagues can also qualify for the Promotion/Relegation tournaments in Game Changers EMEA. More details will be revealed later.

Premier will come back next year with more action and opportunities for those who want to experience the competitive scenario. The built-in tournament mode is one of the best ways to start your own path to going pro. The format will be the same as 2025, with two opportunities to earn promotion into Challengers in the calendar year.

That's all for now. Stick around for more VALORANT news, guides, and updates on esports.gg.