VCT Pacific 2026 Kickoff: All You Need to Know

The VCT Pacific Kickoff will launch the 2026 season with a brand-new, high-stakes format. All 12 teams from the region will battle through a triple-elimination bracket for the first time, ensuring relentless competition from the start. The tournament is scheduled to commence on January 22, with the final match set to be on February 15.

The 2026 Kickoff tournaments will offer teams the chance to advance to Masters Santiago as well as earn crucial Championship Points, which can help them qualify for VALORANT Champions 2025 Shanghai.

Here’s more on the VCT Pacific 2026 Kickoff, including teams, format, ticket prices, and livestream details. 

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Teams 

Among the 12 teams competing in VCT Pacific 2026 Kickoff, ten are partnered, while two have earned their spots through the 2025 Ascension tournament. The latter includes Nongshim RedForce, which defended its 2025 slot via Ascension, and VARREL, which acquired SLT’s Pacific Ascension-winning roster. 

Furthermore, among the partnered teams, FULL SENSE has replaced Talon Esports, as the latter was removed due to their “failure to operate and manage its team in accordance with league standards.”

 

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Format

The Pacific 2026 Kickoff will mark the introduction of the triple-elimination format to the VCT. Teams will have three strikes before they’re eliminated. Initially, all 12 teams will be in the Upper Bracket, where the team that finishes undefeated will grab the first Masters spot.

Any UB team that suffers a loss will drop to the Middle Bracket. Here, the last-standing team will secure the second spot, while the others will be relegated to the Lower Bracket. Ultimately, the two finalists of the Lower Bracket will fight for the final spot at Masters Santiago.

All matches will be best-of-threes (Bo3), except for the Upper, Middle, and Lower Bracket Finals, which will be held as best-of-fives (Bo5). Furthermore, the four Pacific teams that qualified for VALORANT Champions 2025 Paris will receive a Round 1 bye, meaning they will directly enter Upper Bracket Round 2. 

The tournament will be held over four weeks, with matches taking place every Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

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Venue

VCT Pacific 2026 Kickoff will be played on LAN at the Sangam Colosseum in Seoul, South Korea. All matches will be open to a live audience.

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Championship Points and Masters Qualification

The top four teams at VCT Pacific 2026 Kickoff will be rewarded with Championship Points, which will help them in their attempts to qualify for VALORANT Champions 2026 Shanghai. Meanwhile, the top three will also be granted a spot at the first international event of the season: Masters Santiago.

Here’s the reward distribution:

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Schedule Breakdown

The four-week tournament kicks off on January 22, 2026, and runs until February 15, 2026, with each matchday beginning at 12 am PST/ 9 am CET/ 4 pm SGT/ 5 pm KST. 

Week 1 (Jan 22-25): Upper Bracket Round 1 and Upper Bracket Quarterfinals

Week 2 (Jan 29-Feb 1): Middle Bracket Rounds 1 and 2; Lower Bracket Round 1

Week 3 (Feb 5-8): Lower Bracket Rounds 2 and 3; Upper Bracket Semifinals; Middle Bracket Quarterfinals

Week 4 (Feb 12-15): Middle Bracket Semifinals and Final; Lower Bracket Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Final; Upper Final

Opening Matchups

• Nongshim RedForce vs Team Secret: January 22, 2026, at 12 am PST/ 9 am CET/ 4 pm SGT/ 5 pm KST
• ZETA DIVISION vs FULL SENSE: January 22, 2026, at 2 am PST/ 11 am CET/ 6 pm SGT/ 7 pm KST
• VARREL vs Global Esports: January 23, 2026, at 12 am PST/ 9 am CET/ 4 pm SGT/ 5 pm KST
• DetonatioN FocusMe vs Gen.G: January 23, 2026, at 2 am PST/ 11 am CET/ 6 pm SGT/ 7 pm KST

Fixtures for the remaining four matches in Week 1 will depend on the outcome of the first four matches. 

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Where to Purchase Tickets for VCT Pacific Kickoff 2026

Tickets for the VCT Pacific 2026 Kickoff tournament went live on January 9. International fans can get hold of tickets here.

Here are the purchase options for fans in Korea: 

• Desktop
• Mobile

Tickets are priced between 15,000 KRW (~$10) and 25,000 KRW (~$17). Here are more details:

Regular games

• Standard Seat: 15,000 KRW (~$10)
• Obstructed View Seat: 12,000 KRW (~$8)
• Wheelchair Seat: 12,000 KRW (~$8)

Matches 25, 29, and 30 (Feb 13, 14, and 15)

• Standard Seat: 25,000 KRW (~$17)
• Obstructed View Seat: 20,000 KRW (~$14)
• Wheelchair Seat: 20,000 KRW (~$14)

Note that an additional 1,000 KRW will be levied as booking charges. 

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Where to Watch VCT Pacific Kickoff 2026

VCT Pacific 2026 Kickoff will be broadcast live in English on Twitch, YouTube, and SOOP. Additional language streams include Korean, Japanese, Bahasa Indonesia, Hindi, Mandarin, Vietnamese, and Thai:

• English: Twitch, YouTube, and SOOP
• Korean: YouTube, SOOP, and Chzzk
• Japanese: Twitch and YouTube
• Bahasa Indonesia: Twitch, YouTube, and SOOP
• Thai: Twitch, YouTube, and SOOP
• Vietnamese: YouTube
• Mandarin: Twitch and YouTube
• Hindi: YouTube

Follow the action on the Strafe Esports tournament page as the tournament unfolds.

Check out Strafe Esports for all the latest VALORANT news and our X account for the latest content and coverage. Also, stay tuned to Strafe YouTube for exclusive interviews, press conferences, and more.

Feature image credits: Riot Games

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