Champions Shanghai: meet the 16 teams
The qualified field spans the Americas, EMEA, Pacific and China.
- By
- Matchupz Editorial
- Published
- September 24, 2026
- Topic
- Tournament
A global field in Shanghai
Champions Shanghai brings sixteen teams from four VCT regions together for the 2026 world title. The tournament is already underway, with the grand final scheduled for October 18.
The championship runs from September 24 to October 18. Group play is underway, followed by double-elimination playoffs from October 7.
From groups to a champion
Four GSL groups feed eight teams into the playoffs. Each group sends its top two teams through; group matches are best-of-three.
The playoffs use double elimination. The lower final and grand final are best-of-five.
With group play now in progress, teams are battling for a place in the playoffs, where the road to the title gets even tougher.
Sixteen teams. One champion.
Champions Shanghai features sixteen teams, four from each VCT region. The field includes established contenders and rising forces, all looking to make their mark on the biggest stage of the year.
As the tournament unfolds in Shanghai, every series matters. Only one team will be crowned world champion on October 18.
The teams
- NRG — Americas
- G2 — Americas
- LOUD — Americas
- 100T — Americas
- VIT — EMEA
- FUT — EMEA
- TL — EMEA
- KC — EMEA
- PRX — Pacific
- NS — Pacific
- GE — Pacific
- T1 — Pacific
- JDG — CN
- XLG — CN
- TYL — CN
- EDG — CN
Key dates
| Dates | Stage | Details |
|---|---|---|
| September 24 – October 4 | Groups | Four GSL groups, best-of-three matches. Top two from each group advance. |
| October 7 – 18 | Playoffs | Double elimination. |
| October 16 – 18 | Finals weekend | |
| October 18 | Grand final | Best-of-five. |
FAQ
- How many teams are at Champions Shanghai? — Sixteen teams, with four from each VCT region (Americas, EMEA, Pacific and CN).
- How does the format work? — Four GSL groups feed eight teams into the playoffs. Each group sends its top two teams through; group matches are best-of-three. The playoffs use double elimination. The lower final and grand final are best-of-five.
- When is the grand final? — The grand final is scheduled for October 18, 2026.