Riot Games has unveiled Valorant Champions 2026 to be played in Shanghai, China. It will be the second top-flight international championship celebrated in the Chinese city after the Valorant Masters Shanghai 2024. It will also be the second-ever Valorant Champions to be held at an APAC country after the Valorant Champions 2024, which took place in Seoul, South Korea.
Seeing Valorant's biggest esports competition of the calendar heading to Asia makes a lot of sense, especially considering how well the teams in the APAC region have been performing recently. The last three Valorant Masters have be won by Pacific rosters, including Gen.G Esports, T1, and Paper Rex. Meanwhile, the last Valorant Champions edition, the Valorant Champions 2024, was won by the Chinese roster of EDward Gaming.
Moreover, it's also worth mentioning that the Valorant Champions 2024's viewership numbers peaked at 9.1 million people, with China gathering around 80% of the Valorant Champions 2024 viewership, according to Valorant's Esports Global Head, Leo Faria. So, holding next year's Valorant Champions in Shanghai is, on paper, a smart move.
Riot Games didn't only confirm Shanghai as the home of the Valorant Champions 2026 but also revealed that the Valorant Champions 2027 will take place in the Americas region. However, they haven't revealed the exact country, with the United States and Brazil being the favorites to host the event.
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