Valorant Esports News

Rejoice, as 'tis the time of the Act. The much-awaited VALORANT Market returns for V26 Act 5. Starting September 22 at 05:00 PM PST, players can access their respective draws in VALORANT’s lucky skin galore.

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.

VALORANT Patch 13.06 is quickly shaping up as one of the most prominent patches in recent memory. With this patch, the game will welcome a new mode, a new agent mastery system, and a new Rifle: Warden.

Alongside the new rifle and the agent mastery, Riot Games has also announced a new game mode that will be coming to VALORANT. “Gauntlet: Glitched” drops on September 22, 2026, and it brings a completely new take on the tac-fps genre.

The many dedicated hours spent on your agent of choice will finally bear physical fruit with the advent of VALORANT Patch 13.06. Amongst all the exciting announcements of a new game mode and weapon, the agent system will see a crucial revamp that includes new mastery levels visualized through in-game rewards.

The pinnacle of the VCT season, VALORANT Champions 2026, takes place from September 24 to October 18 in Shanghai, China. Bringing together 16 elite teams across four international leagues, the event features a $2.25 million prize pool and the world championship trophy.

VCT 2027 will feature a new structure, with Open Qualifiers leading into every big LAN event. Here's a first look at the qualifiers for Kickoff 2027.

The VALORANT esports landscape is bracing for a monumental shift as Jake "Boaster" Howlett, the iconic 31-year-old IGL for Fnatic, officially begins exploring opportunities ahead of the 2027 VCT season. After a legendary five-year tenure with the London-based organization, this offseason announcement marks the potential end of one of tactical shooter history's most celebrated and charismatic partnerships.

The biggest stage in VALORANT is set. Here’s your guide to Champions 2026, covering the teams, format, schedule, and storylines to watch.

North America's 100 Thieves defeated Brazil's LOUD in a thrilling five‑map series to emerge as VCT Americas 2026 Stage 2 Champions. Here's how the match played out.

The VCT Pacific 2026 Stage 2 Grand Final at the Riot Games Arena in Busan, South Korea, will go down as one of the most legendary series in Pacific VALORANT history. Global Esports, an organization that has fought tirelessly since entering VALORANT in 2020 and joining the partnered league in 2023, faced Masters Santiago winners Nongshim RedForce.

Riot Games has deployed VALORANT Patch 13.05, introducing major updates that focus on matchmaking integrity, esports integration, and quality-of-life adjustments. This patch implements critical measures against unsportsmanlike behavior while simultaneously preparing players for an upcoming agent progression shift.

VALORANT fans have just been given a first look at the upcoming Run It Back V26 skin bundle. While these special collections are highly anticipated for giving players another opportunity to obtain older fan-favourite cosmetics, this particular V26 iteration is drawing significant attention due to both its weapon lineup and a highly controversial purchasing structure.

Karmine Corp opened Stage 1 with an ugly 0-5 record, sitting dead last in the standings. A few months later, the French org sits on top of all of EMEA, having just defeated Team Liquid 3-1 in the VCT EMEA Stage 2 Grand Final. It's KC's first-ever VCT trophy, and the timing lines up perfectly with a Champions run on the horizon.

In the lower bracket quarterfinals of VCT Pacific 2026 Stage 2 playoffs, the Kings of Pacific, Paper Rex, have been eliminated. After a hard-fought three map series, VARREL secured a thrilling 2-1 victory over Paper Rex, bringing an abrupt end to the Singaporean outfit’s playoff run.

While every international event holds significance for teams, nothing compares to VALORANT Champions, the most prestigious tournament of the competitive season. As we get closer to the start of the 2026 edition, China is preparing to welcome the world's top 16 teams. It is now time to take a look at the complete lineup of teams qualified for VALORANT Champions 2026.