VCT Pacific 2026 Primer: Everything you need to know for Pacific Kickoff and more

The VCT Pacific circuit is set to return for the 2026 season, with the new year officially kicking off on 22 January. After a 2025 campaign defined by volatile rivalries, sharp meta shifts, and breakout individual performances, Pacific’s top teams are back to battle for international qualification, regional supremacy, and a share of the USD 250,000 prize pool. With structural changes across every stage of the season, VCT Pacific 2026 promises to be one of the most competitive editions yet, especially after the roster shuffles this year.

What’s New in VCT Pacific for 2026

The Pacific league enters 2026 with several major updates to both its lineup and competitive ecosystem. Full Sense joins VCT Pacific as a partnered team, replacing TALON Esports, marking a significant organizational shift in the region.

Alongside them, two Ascension Pacific 2025 winners have earned their promotion: Nongshim RedForce, returning to the top tier after being relegated but returning another year after their performance at Ascension, and VARREL (who signed the SLT roster that qualified as first seed through Ascension this year), who will compete in their first-ever VCT Pacific season.

Another major change comes through the expanded Challengers Path to Champions. In 2026, Challengers teams will have a direct route into VCT Pacific Stage 2 Playoffs, creating a clearer bridge between tier-two competition and the international stage. Championship Points also make their return, with the top two teams on the points leaderboard qualifying directly for Champions, alongside the top two teams from Stage 2 Playoffs, ensuring consistency across the entire season is rewarded.

VCT Pacific Kickoff: Triple Elimination Debuts

The 2026 season begins with VCT Pacific Kickoff, running from 22 January to 15 February, and introduces a brand-new triple elimination format. Teams will now have three losses before elimination, offering more match play and reducing early-season volatility. Three teams have the chance to qualify for the first international event of the year, a drastic change compared to last year’s two teams per region at Masters Bangkok.

The top four teams from Champions 2025 will receive a first-round bye in the Upper Bracket, while the remaining teams will be placed through a random draw. The opening bracket consists of four matchups:

• Nongshim Redforce vs Team Secret
• ZETA Division vs FULL SENSE
• VARREL vs Global Esports
• Gen G. vs Detonation FocusMe

At the conclusion of Kickoff, the top three teams will qualify for Masters Santiago, the first global event of the year. This revised format also shortens the gap between Kickoff and Stage 1, particularly benefiting teams that miss out on international qualification.

Stage 1: Groups and Playoffs Explained

Following Masters Santiago, Stage 1 will run from 3 April to 17 May. Twelve teams will be split into two groups of six, competing in a single round-robin Best-of-3 format. The top four teams from each group will advance to the Stage 1 Playoffs.

Playoffs will feature an eight-team double elimination bracket, with Best-of-5 series reserved for the Lower Final and Grand Final. Group winners earn a first-round Upper Bracket bye, while fourth-placed teams begin their playoff run in the Lower Bracket. The top three teams at the end of Stage 1 will qualify for Masters London, another twelve-team international event.

Stage 2: The Road to Champions

Stage 2, the most consequential phase of the season, takes place from 16 July to 6 September. Teams once again compete in two groups of six, with the top two teams from each group advancing directly to the Stage 2 Playoffs.

Teams finishing third through sixth move into the Play-In stage, joined by four Challengers teams thanks to the Path to Champions kicking in this year, forming a 12-team double elimination bracket. The top four Play-In teams advance to Playoffs, where the final eight squads compete for Champions qualification. The top two teams from Stage 2 Playoffs secure Champions spots, joined by two additional teams via Championship Points.

Full Season Schedule and Match Times

VCT Pacific 2026 will run across three stages:

• Kickoff: 22 January – 15 February

• Stage 1: 3 April – 17 May

• Stage 2: 16 July – 6 September

Matches will begin daily at 15:00 GMT+7 / 16:00 GMT+8 / 17:00 GMT+9. The schedule for VCT Pacific can be found at VALORANTESPORTS.com and will be routinely updated throughout the event.

Where to Watch VCT Pacific 2026

Fans can follow all the action across official broadcasts in multiple languages, supported by Acer, Intel, Pulsar, Red Bull, and ZOWIE. Below are the links for all the different platforms and languages.

English

• SOOP: VALORANT_EN
• Twitch: VALORANT Pacific
• YouTube: VCT Pacific

Korean

• YouTube: VCT KR
• SOOP: VALORANT공식
• Chzzk: 발로란트 코리아

Japanese

• Twitch: VALORANT JP
• YouTube: VALORANT JP

Bahasa Indonesia

• SOOP: VALORANT Esports ID
• Twitch: VALORANT ID 
• YouTube: VALORANT Esports Indonesia

Thai

• SOOP: VALORANT Esports TH
• Twitch: VALORANT TH
• YouTube: VALORANTesportsTH

Vietnamese

• YouTube: VALORANTesportsVN

Mandarin

• Twitch: VALORANT TW
• YouTube:VALORANTesportsTW

Hindi

• YouTube: VALORANTinsa