The road to VALORANT Champions 2026 in Shanghai is heating up: In all three major regions of the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT), the Stage 2 Play-Ins kicked off on August 13th. Here, teams from the regular group stage face challengers from the Regional Challengers – and for some ambitious underdog teams, it's all about making it to the Playoffs.
What Were the VCT Stage 2 Play-In Results?
The first matches already delivered clear results:
- Americas: KRÜ Esports beats BESTIA 2:1, ENVY sweeps M80 2:0
- Pacific: KIWOOM DRX sweeps ONSIDE Gaming 2:0, Sharper Esports defeats Rex Regum Qeon 2:1
- EMEA: Joblife wins against PCIFIC Esports 2:1
How Do the VCT Play-Ins Work?
Each region features a twelve-team double-elimination bracket played in a best-of-3 format: eight teams come from the group stage, with four more from their respective Regional Challengers. The top two teams in the Upper Bracket advance directly to the next round, while third and fourth place start in the Lower Bracket, giving them a second chance. Ultimately, only four teams per region survive the Play-Ins and reach the Playoffs – the remaining eight are eliminated from the Stage 2 season. These Play-Ins are particularly crucial for Challenger teams: it's often their only opportunity of the year to prove themselves against established franchise teams and to make a case for international success and potential promotion slots. From our perspective, this is precisely what makes the Play-In phase one of the most exciting segments of the entire VCT season – it determines which new names get to contend for Champions in Shanghai.
Source: VLR.gg, dotesports.com
Which team are you rooting for in the Play-Ins? Join the discussion in the comments!
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