Riot provides clarity on Challenger teams’ path to Champions in VCT 2026

Following last month’s revelation that tier two Challengers teams will be able to qualify for VALORANT Champions next year, developer Riot Games has provided some additional clarity on how that will look, given each region’s tier two competition is structured differently.

Challengers Path to Champions

As announced last month, from 2026, Challengers teams will now have a path to be able to qualify for VALORANT Champions without the need for a VCT slot. Stage 2 playoffs will see each region include four teams from their Challengers leagues who will compete amongst the tier one competition, with qualification for Champs and prize money up for grabs.

Revealed during an esports panel at Champs Paris, each Challengers side that reaches their region’s Stage 2 playoffs will earn a $75k stipend. In a new post, Riot has explained how this is meant ‘to assist with travel, visas, and attendance’ in order to have teams compete on site, both at each region’s ‘hub locations’ as well as playoffs roadshows.

With all Stage 2 playoffs to include four Challengers teams, the path for tier two sides will be different for each region, given their different structures.

VCT Americas

• Winner of Challengers North America
• Winner of Challengers Brazil
• Best team between Challengers Latin America North and South
• Last chance qualifier between NA #2, BR #2, and LATAM #2.

VCT EMEA

• Top four from Challengers EMEA on points and placement

VCT Pacific

• Winner of Challengers Southeast Asia
• Winner of Challengers Japan
• Winner of Challengers Korea
• Last chance qualifier between South Asia #1, Oceania #1, and SEA #2 and #3.

VCT CN

• Details to be confirmed

Challengers player eligibility

When the news about the Challengers path to Champs was first announced, the omission of certain details led to some questions around exactly how some scenarios would be handled, such as the qualification of academy teams or pros under the tier one age limit.

Riot has provided clarity in these areas, firstly confirming that academy teams cannot compete in the Path to Champions. They are still free to participate in Challengers leagues, though they’ll also have their relegation protection removed from next year.

Affiliate teams, such as BBL PCIFIC, currently competing in VCT Ascension EMEA, will be permitted to reach Stage 2 playoffs and would not be required to terminate their partnerships. However, player movement between main and affiliate teams would not be allowed during Stage 2 playoffs and VALORANT Champions roster lock periods.

In terms of age restrictions, Riot also explained that Challengers players between the ages of 16 and 17 — currently allowed to compete in tier two but not permitted in tier one — will be free to play in Stage 2 Playoffs. The minimum age of 18 will continue to be in place for tier one rosters.

For VCT China, both tier one and tier two teams competing in Stage 2 playoffs will only permit players 18 and up, meaning tier two teams that qualify for the Path to Champions with any players under that age will need to shuffle their roster before heading to playoffs.

Other Challengers roster limitations will remain across leagues, namely the need to have three players from their local region.