VALORANT Challengers SEA 2026 details revealed

by Juandi January 13, 2026

Challengers SEA 2026 will send teams through OQs and Regional Tournaments into SEA-wide Groups and Playoffs, with Split 2 also awarding direct and LCQ routes to VCT Pacific Stage 2.

SOUTHEAST ASIA – Riot Games have officially outlined the structure for VALORANT Challengers SEA 2026, which will run across two Splits from January through July, with four Phases in each Split. 

The circuit will funnel teams from Open Qualifiers into Regional Tournaments, then into a combined Group Stage and Playoffs, while also introducing Challenger Points that feed into the wider VCT Pacific Stage 2 Play-Ins picture.

  • Phase 1: Open Qualifiers (region-based)
  • Phase 2: Regional Tournaments (region-based, double elim)
  • Phase 3: Group Stage (SEA-wide, includes Premier teams)
  • Phase 4: Playoffs (SEA-wide, double elim)

The season begins with Phase 1 Open Qualifiers, with Split 1 registration open from January 12 to 24 and Split 2 registration running from March 30 to April 9. 

Open Qualifiers will be held across Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Rest of SEA, with teams playing through a Swiss-style stage into single-elimination matches to determine who advances into their respective Regional Tournaments.

Phase 2 will feature each region’s Regional Tournament, played in a double-elimination bracket where the top two teams qualify for the Challengers SEA Group Stage and the regional champion receives a seeding advantage. 

For Split 1, the Regional Tournaments will each total eight teams, combining carryover squads from Challengers SEA 2025 Split 3 with the top teams from Open Qualifiers:

  • Indonesia: BOOM Esports + 7 OQ teams
  • Philippines: NAOS Esports, OASIS Gaming, XIPTO Esports + 5 OQ teams
  • Rest of SEA: Motiv Esports + 7 OQ teams
  • Thailand: Shaper Esport, Z11, Team NKT + 5 OQ teams
  • Vietnam: Fancy United + 7 OQ teams

In Split 2, only the top four finishers from Split 1’s Regional Tournaments will automatically retain their spots in Phase 2, while the bottom four must return to Open Qualifiers to qualify again.

Phase 3 is the Challengers SEA Group Stage, where the top two teams from each Regional Tournament will be joined by two of the best Premier teams from the corresponding Episode. 

These teams will be placed into four groups of three, with teams from the same region unable to be drawn into the same group, and the top two teams from each group advancing into the next phase. Challenger Points will also begin being awarded in Phase 3, creating a points race that will ultimately help determine SEA’s additional qualification pathway into VCT Pacific Stage 2 Play-Ins via the LCQ.

Phase 4 will see the top eight teams compete in a double-elimination Playoffs bracket, with higher placements awarding additional Challenger Points. At the end of Split 2, the Challengers SEA Playoff winner will earn a direct spot at VCT Pacific Stage 2 Play-Ins, while the runner-up qualifies for the LCQ alongside SEA’s third seed determined by Challenger Points.

 At the end of Split 2:

  • The team with the most Challenger Points qualifies for the LCQ.
  • The Split 2 Challengers SEA Playoff champion earns a direct spot at VCT Pacific Stage 2 Play-Ins.
  • The runner-up qualifies for the LCQ, alongside SEA’s third seed via Challenger Points.

Each International League will reserve four Stage 2 Playoffs spots for Challengers teams. For Pacific, the allocation (per the October 2025 release) is:

  • 1 slot: Challengers Southeast Asia champion
  • 1 slot: Challengers Japan champion
  • 1 slot: Challengers Korea champion
  • 1 slot: LCQ winner from South Asia, Oceania, and the 2nd and 3rd seeds from Southeast Asia

1 slot: Challengers Southeast Asia champion1 slot: Challengers Japan champion1 slot: Challengers Korea champion1 slot: LCQ winner from South Asia, Oceania, and the 2nd and 3rd seeds from Southeast Asia

Register for the Open Qualifier:

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Cover photo courtesy of VALORANT Esports