VCT Americas News & Updates 2026

FURIA took down Sentinels 2–0 in the VCT Americas: Kickoff 2026 playoffs, winning Split (13–5) and Breeze (13–11). The result keeps FURIA moving forward in the triple-elimination bracket, while Sentinels drop into their next do-or-die path.

G2 Esports survived a three-map battle against 100 Thieves, winning 2–1 in the VCT Americas: Kickoff 2026 playoffs. After trading Bind and Corrode, G2 closed the series on Split to keep their triple-elimination run on track.

MIBR swept Envy 2–0 in VCT Americas: Kickoff 2026 Playoffs, taking Abyss (13–7) and Corrode (13–11) to advance in the upper bracket. Up next, MIBR will face NRG Esports while Envy drops to play Evil Geniuses in the lower bracket.

NRG opened VCT Americas: Kickoff 2026 playoffs with a clean 2–0 over Cloud9, winning Pearl (13–2) and Breeze (13–9). The result sends NRG forward in the upper bracket while Cloud9 drop to a lower-bracket matchup.

100 Thieves opened their Kickoff 2026 playoff run with a 2–1 win over Leviatán, taking Bind and Split to close the series. Despite the loss, Sato led the server with 59 kills and 252 ACS as Leviatán fought back with a Pearl win.

Cloud9 started VCT Americas: Kickoff 2026 with a 2–0 win over LOUD, taking Haven 13–7 and edging Abyss 13–11. OXY led Cloud9 with 38 kills, while lukxo topped LOUD with 40 in the series.

ENVY opened VCT Americas: Kickoff 2026 with a 2–1 win over Evil Geniuses, rebounding after a Map 1 loss to take Corrode and Bind. Eggster led the way with 63 kills across the series.

KRÜ Esports were forced to field a full stand-in roster due to visa delays and still took Map 1, but FURIA rallied to win the series 2–1 behind a massive 61-kill performance from koalanoob.

Dot Esports says Riot’s VCT 2026 plan expands the circuit with more events and more locations, including Masters Santiago, Masters London, and Champions Shanghai. The article highlights a new “Challengers Path to Champions” where top Tier-2 teams can enter Stage 2 play-ins against partnered teams, with Riot covering travel and providing stipends. It also notes format changes like triple-elimination Kickoff, a larger first Masters field, and a defined qualification path to Champions via Stage 2 playoffs or Championship Points.

VCT Americas 2026 Kickoff starts January 15 at 2 PM PT and uses a triple-elimination bracket, with teams seeded via a random draw and the four Americas teams that made Champions Paris 2025 getting a bye into Round 2. The goal is to win Kickoff and secure one of three Americas spots at Masters Santiago. Fans can attend live at the Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles (tickets went on sale Dec 19 at 12 PM PT) or watch on Twitch/YouTube with English, Spanish, and Portuguese broadcasts, plus approved watch parties via Riot’s co-streaming guidelines

Riot Games announced the 2026 VCT Team Capsules, a new set of in-game esports cosmetic bundles tied to the Valorant Champions Tour. These capsules are designed to let players show support for their favourite VCT teams throughout the 2026 season while also contributing financially to those teams. The Team Capsules include several items such as: An updated Classic weapon skin with new visual effects A team achievement tracker inspect A new animated player card The team’s spray A team gun buddy valorantesports.com They go on sale in-game on January 13th at 11am PST and cost 2320 VP, with a discount for players who owned prior versions of the same team capsules. Teams that have won championships will feature special “Winner’s Flair” elements in their capsule designs.