VCT CN Stage 2: Everything You Need to Know

by Juandi June 24, 2026

The final stage of the 2026 VCT CN season will introduce Play-Ins, Challengers (National Competition) teams, and two roadshows in Changsha and Chengdu as teams fight for Champions qualification.

CHINA – Riot Games has officially announced the full details for VCT CN Stage 2, the final phase of the VCT CN season before VALORANT Champions 2026 in Shanghai.

Running from July 9 to August 23 in Helong Gymnasium, Changsha, Stage 2 will determine China’s four representatives for Champions. Teams will have one final chance to qualify directly through their Stage 2 placement or secure their spot through Championship Points earned throughout the season.

Also read: VCT Pacific Stage 2: Everything You Need to Know

Stage 2 will begin with the Group Stage, where the 12 VCT CN teams have been split into two groups of six. The draw was conducted in person at the end of Stage 1 in Beijing, setting up the following groups:

  • Group Alpha:
    • EDward Gaming
    • JDG Esports
    • TYLOO
    • Trace Esports
    • Nova Esports
    • FunPlus Phoenix
  • Group Omega:
    • All Gamers
    • Xi Lai Gaming
    • Dragon Ranger Gaming
    • Titan Esports Club
    • Bilibili Gaming
    • Wolves Esports

The Group Stage will run for three weeks, with matches taking place from July 9 to July 26. Match start times will remain unchanged, with all series scheduled to begin at 5 PM GMT+8, except during the Super Week from July 17-19, where three matches will be played each day starting at 3 PM GMT+8.

Teams will compete in a best-of-three round-robin format, facing the other teams in their respective groups. At the end of the Group Stage, the top two teams from each group will advance directly to the Stage 2 Playoffs.

This is a huge change from previous stages, where the top four teams from each group moved straight into the playoffs. For Stage 2, only the top two teams in each group will receive direct playoff qualification.

To close out the action in Changsha, VCT CN will hold a Seeding Stage, where teams with the same placement from Group Alpha and Group Omega will face each other to determine their exact seed. For example, Alpha #1 will play Omega #1 to decide the first and second seeds for the Playoffs, while the same format will apply to the remaining placements for Playoffs and Play-Ins seeding.

The remaining eight VCT CN teams that do not qualify directly for the Playoffs will move into the Stage 2 Play-Ins. They will be joined by two teams from the National Competition, VCT CN’s Challengers ecosystem, in a double-elimination bracket.

Out of the ten Play-In teams, only four will advance to the Playoffs, where they will join the four teams that qualified directly from the Group Stage. The Play-Ins will take place from August 5-12 and are expected to be held at the next roadshow stop in Chengdu, rather than in Changsha.

The final phase of the event will be the Stage 2 Playoffs, which will take place in Chengdu. Unlike some other regions, all eight playoff teams will begin from the same stage of the double-elimination bracket, with seeding determined by their previous results.

The Playoffs will as usual feature best-of-three matches before switching to best-of-five for the Lower Final and Grand Final.

At the end of Stage 2, the top two teams will qualify directly for VALORANT Champions 2026. They will be joined by two additional VCT CN teams that qualify through Championship Points earned across the season.

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