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VALORANT Champions Shanghai: All Teams Tier List
Over the years, we have seen more teams than we can recall step onto that bright VALORANT Champions stage, each vying and contending for that coveted title. And yet, in the game’s short history, we have only seen 5 teams hoist the championship.
As VALORANT Champions Shanghai approaches, the 6th iteration, a new host of teams converge across the month of play to see if they have what it takes to win it all. But before the games begin, this article attempts to weigh each contender and rank them by order of strength.
Who is Winning Champions Shanghai?
One interesting notion compared to previous Champions is that there are no clear strong favorites to win the event. At least, no singular team stands above the others. With that in mind, we've constructed a tier list that reflects a more generous distribution.
D-Tier
Starting from the bottom. XLG and EDG are coming into their first Champions on home soil in some of the most questionable forms we’ve seen from either.
XLG were eliminated in the Lower Bracket quarterfinals by Nova Esports after losing to Bilibili Gaming in the Upper Bracket. And EDG failed to even qualify for their domestic Playoffs, having been eliminated in Play-Ins back in early August.
While EDG have flipped the dice on signing Park “stew” Young-chan, it is still a gambit, nonetheless. With so little time before the start of Champions, EDG are more likely to crumble than make a deep run at Champions Shanghai.
C-Tier
This is where we put teams we think have shown promise during their domestic runs in Stage 2 and did relatively well overall, but for one reason or another do not think they will make it deep.
Starting with JD Gaming, this squad is led by veteran Chang “BerLIN” Po-lin. Three rookies form the basis of their firepower, and Huang “Yuicaw” Yung-chieh, another experienced hand, rounds out the squad.
The overall style they embody is explosive, with undeniable talent. But with so many rough edges, it’s tough to put them higher when stacked against many more decorated names.
Despite making every international this year, G2's stock has never been lower. Following the disaster that was their London opener, they have looked fairly mediocre in Stage 2.
A slight ramp-up heading into Playoffs was the glimmer of hope, just enough to beat out teams like Leviatán. Based on all we’ve seen, we anticipate this to be one of the weakest international showings for a team that has long embodied consistency and excellence.
Then, we have T1. Moments of brilliance followed by capitulation in equal measure. T1 has an undeniable high ceiling for their individuals when they’re on their game, but we’ve also seen them at too many internationals to get too excited just yet.
Finally, we come to Team Liquid. One of the more impressive years for this organization, certainly. Despite roster changes plaguing them all season long, Liquid qualified for their second international of the year, though what form they’ll arrive in remains to be seen.
Strong individual firepower has to be credited as their primary driving force, notably from captain Ayaz “nAts” Akhmetshin and Kamil “kamo” Frąckowiak. The late addition of Ognjen “GSR” Bondžić is an eleventh-hour gambit in hopes of boosting their firepower, but will it cost them preexisting synergy?
B-Tier
We were tempted to put Team Vitality lower, in all honesty. But it is tough to do so with this much experience and skill on the roster. Despite their early elimination in the Stage 2 Playoffs, losing to Tier 2 teams twice — Enterprise Esports and Fire Flux Esports — we still have some expectations for them to do some damage.
Then we have TYLOO. Undoubtedly China’s best choice of champion this year to win on home soil, TYLOO have shown incredible growth in Stage 2. With a solid lineup of protocols and talent, they have a good chance of making a Playoffs run.
Karmine Corp is an interesting duck. On the one hand, they play a simple style. But they do it well and cleanly. Since his return from North America, Marshall “N4RRATE” Massey has found a second breath and renewed vigor on this Karmine Corp lineup.
There are expectations for Karmine Corp to make it out of Groups, but they’ve also been dealt a heavy hand in Group D. Whether they can come out ahead of either Nongshim RedForce or NRG will likely be the determining factor on if they can make a run in Shanghai.
There may be a certain delusion placing FUT Esports above even the VCT EMEA Stage 2 finalists, but of the 4 EMEA representatives this time around, we think they have the most explosive potential to take down some big names.
A roster chock full of raw talent and an unpredictable fight-heavy style, they have impressed the most from EMEA’s 2026 crop, and we expect them to make a Playoffs run.
Capping off the B-Tier is NRG. The defending 2025 Champions arrive in Shanghai battered and bruised from a rough Stage 2. With every individual’s form currently in question, it comes down to whether they have enough clutch factor to make a run a second time.
A-Tier
Now, we get to the meat of things. Three teams spring to mind in this column. Starting with the lowest-ranked, we have Paper Rex. Two Grand Finals this year are what’s keeping them propped this high.
However, their recent form in Stage 2, including a thrashing from Nongshim RedForce and VARREL, have done much to sour expectations for this team coming into Shanghai. But Paper Rex is Paper Rex, and their domestic and international forms are seldom similar beasts, for good or ill.
Then, we come to Global Esports. Perhaps the team with the biggest glow-up, they have quickly distinguished themselves in the latter half of the year, from qualifying for London to a Bo5 Grand Finals victory against Nongshim RedForce in Stage 2.
Bold, creative, with a high ceiling of firepower and strategic depth, Global Esports is one of the biggest dark horses in Shanghai.
Last of the A-tiers is LOUD, an unexpected face this late in the year. For most of 2026, LOUD has been inconsequential in VCT Americas. But with their latest set of roster moves, they have catapulted themselves into the forefront of discussions as one of the attending teams with the highest level of firepower.
S-Tier
We loathe to put any team this year as clear favorites, given how strong each frontrunner has looked. But if we were to pick, it would be 100 Thieves and Nongshim RedForce.
Since their run at the Esports World Cup, 100 Thieves have found a gear shift that has propelled them into the strongest team in VCT Americas. With one of the best forms of any of the teams attending, we expect 100 Thieves to make a podium finish.
Finally, we have Nongshim RedForce. The Santiago winners have found a second wind in this final quarter of 2026, showcasing a rare return to peak form just as Champions rolls around.
With a blend of hyperaggression, incredible individual firepower, and resilience, we think they are the other team with the clearest chance at a podium finish.
Champions Shanghai Set to Be the Most Competitive Champions to Date
An incredible lineup of teams assembles in Shanghai for the 6th iteration of VALORANT Champions and a chance at earning the most sought-after of accolades — World Champion. Champions Shanghai kicks off on September 24. Check out our Group Stage Pick'Ems guide to earn rewards as you watch the best teams in the world clash.
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Featured Image Credit: VCT Americas
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