VCT 2026: China Stage 1 opens in Hangzhou today with 12 teams beginning a weeks-long campaign for regional supremacy and a ticket to Masters London this summer. China is the first of four VCT regions to launch Stage 1, ahead of EMEA (April 1), Pacific (April 2), and Americas (April 10).
Opening Day Matches
Two Bo3 series open the group stage at the West Lake Gymnasium:
Titan Esports Club vs. All Gamers (17:00 CST) Nova Esports vs. EDward Gaming (19:00 CST)
The marquee fixture is the second match. EDward Gaming, the 2024 VALORANT Champions winners, enter Stage 1 as one of the consensus favorites alongside Bilibili Gaming and Xi Lai Gaming. Nova, who finished near the bottom of Kickoff, face a steep opening test.
Format and What’s at Stake
The 12 teams are split into two groups of six. Group Alpha features Bilibili Gaming, FunPlus Phoenix, JD Gaming, TYLOO, All Gamers, and Titan Esports Club. Group Omega contains EDward Gaming, Nova Esports, Trace Esports, Dragon Ranger Gaming, Xi Lai Gaming, and Wolves Esports.
Every match is a Bo3 in a single round-robin format. The top four from each group advance to ranking matches and then a double-elimination playoff bracket. The bottom two per group are eliminated.
The end goal is clear: the top three finishers from China’s Stage 1 earn qualification to Masters London, the next major international LAN on the VCT calendar, scheduled for June 5 to 21. Championship Points earned here also feed directly into seeding for Champions Shanghai later in the year.
All Gamers: Kickoff Champions, Stage 1 Underdogs
All Gamers won VCT China Kickoff in a run that few predicted, securing one of China’s three spots at Masters Santiago. On the international stage, they held their own before falling to Paper Rex 1-2 in the lower bracket. The performance proved the Kickoff title was no fluke, but the wider consensus still views them as outsiders heading into Stage 1.
The roster of f4ngeer, Shr1mp, K1ra, Au1, and iamgrq returns intact. Their opening match against Titan Esports Club should offer an early read on whether the Kickoff form has carried through.
Favorites to Watch
EDward Gaming remain the standard in Chinese VALORANT. Four of the five players who lifted the Champions 2024 trophy in Seoul remain on the roster: ZmjjKK, Smoggy, nobody, and CHICHOO, now joined by cb, and their pedigree at the highest level is unmatched in the region. A disappointing Masters Santiago showing, where China’s representatives struggled against international competition, adds urgency.
Bilibili Gaming enter off a recent title at the VALORANT China Evolution Series 2026: Act 1, confirming their form is peaking at the right time. Xi Lai Gaming, who finished second in Kickoff, round out the top tier of contenders.
The Bigger Picture: All Four Regions Go Live This Week
China’s opening day is the starting gun for a packed stretch. VCT EMEA opens tomorrow in Berlin with Fnatic vs. Eternal Fire, the latter replacing the disqualified ULF Esports. Pacific follows on April 2, headlined by Nongshim RedForce, the undefeated Masters Santiago champions who swept Paper Rex 3-0 in one of the most dominant finals in VCT history. Americas rounds out the schedule on April 10, with Sentinels debuting new signing Jerrwin against KRร Esports.
Across all four leagues, 48 teams are fighting for 12 Masters London spots. The race starts now.
