Details of VCT Americas Kickoff 2026 revealed

The 2026 VALORANT Champions Tour Americas season is set to kick off with a bang, and there’s plenty to be excited about with Americas Kickoff. Fresh off a dominant 2025 that saw the region claim the VCT Championship in Paris as well produce some of the year’s best rookies and the Champs MVP, VCT Americas is gearing up for the new season.

What’s New in 2026

This year brings significant changes to the competitive landscape. The league is going bigger with more matches throughout the season and introducing a roadshow finals experience for Stage 2, taking the action to different cities. Most notably, the Americas will host the year’s first international event with Masters Santiago, giving homegrown fans a chance to watch the world’s best teams compete on their turf.

ENVY joins the league after their win at Ascension, replacing 2G. They’ll be looking to prove their tier two success translates to the top tier of competition. The teams in VCT Americas currently are:

• Sentinels
• MIBR
• KRÜ Esports
• NRG
• LOUD
• LEVIATÁN
• 100 Thieves
• Evil Geniuses
• Cloud9
• FURIA
• G2 ESPORTS (Ascension 2023)
• ENVY (Ascension 2025)

Tournament Schedule and Format

VCT Americas Kickoff runs from January 15th through February 15th, giving teams one month to battle for supremacy and those coveted Masters Santiago spots.

This year introduces a triple-elimination bracket format, a departure from traditional double-elimination tournaments. Teams were seeded through a random draw, with one key advantage: the four teams that qualified for Champions Paris in 2025 (LOUD, ENVY, KRÜ Esports, and 100 Thieves) received automatic byes into the second round.

Opening Round Matchups

The Upper Bracket opens with four exciting matchups:

• Match 1: LOUD vs. Cloud9
• Match 2: ENVY vs. Evil Geniuses
• Match 3: KRÜ Esports vs. Furia Esports
• Match 4: 100 Thieves vs. Leviatán

The bracket features three distinct sections: Upper Bracket, Middle Bracket, and Lower Bracket. Teams will navigate through 30 total matches before a winner emerges and claims first place in the Upper Finals. The Middle Finals determines second place, while the Lower Finals crowns the third-place finisher. All three top finishers will earn their tickets to Masters Santiago.

How to Attend

Fans can experience the action live at the iconic Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles, with tickets on sale December 19th at 12pm PT / 3pm ET / 5pm BRT. Viewers can visit vctamericas.tixr.com to secure their spot and support their favorite teams throughout the season.

Where to Watch

Can’t make it to LA? The tournament will be broadcast across multiple platforms in three languages:

• Twitch – /valorant_americas
• YouTube – @valorant_americas

• Twitch – /valorant_br
• YouTube – @valesportsbr

• Twitch – /valorant_la
• YouTube – @valorantlatam

For the latest schedule updates and broadcast times, check valorantesports.com throughout the season.

Co-Streaming Information

Watch parties and co-streams are permitted with proper authorization. North American broadcasters can sign up through the official Watch Party application, while Latin American (Spanish) and Brazilian (Portuguese) streamers must also apply and receive email approval by January 5, 2026. International co-streamers from other regions must also register and comply with VCT Co-streaming Guidelines.

The Road Ahead

With the road to Champions Shanghai beginning at Kickoff, these 12 teams face a grueling path. Only three will emerge from this month-long gauntlet to represent the Americas at Masters Santiago. The region proved its strength in 2025 with NRG lifting a Champions trophy: who will carry that legacy forward in 2026?