Courtesy of Riot Games
Twelve teams that proved themselves in their regional Stage 1 will clash at Masters London 2026 from the 6th to the 21st, over roughly two weeks.
Riot Games, the developer and publisher of the 5v5 character-based tactical shooter VALORANT, has announced the participating teams, tournament format, and match schedule for Masters London, the second international event of the 2026 VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT).
Held at the Copper Box Arena in London, the capital of the United Kingdom, this tournament is already drawing major attention as the first Masters to be contested without a Korean team. From the Pacific, Paper Rex (PRX), Full Sense (FS), and Global Esports (GE) will take the stage, seeking to extend the Pacific run of five consecutive Masters titles.
Like Masters Santiago, Masters London will be played in two phases, the Swiss Stage and the Playoffs. First, in the Swiss Stage held from the 6th to the 10th in Korea Standard Time, eight teams that earned the second and third seeds from Stage 1 of the international leagues in each region will compete. All matches are best-of-three, and across three rounds, only the four teams that reach two wins first will secure playoff spots. In VCT Pacific, Full Sense, the Stage 1 runner-up, and Global Esports, which finished third, will begin their campaigns in this phase.
Courtesy of Riot Games
Teams that reach the playoffs will face Paper Rex (PRX), which won the 2026 VCT Pacific Stage 1 and achieved a fourth title overall, along with the first-place teams from Stage 1 of the international leagues in each region, G2, Team Heretics (TH), and Edward Gaming (EDG). In the double-elimination playoffs, teams earn Champions Points with each victory. Because qualification for Champions Shanghai this September is determined by the cumulative standings of these points, the competition is expected to be even fiercer.
The grand final, the highlight of Masters London, will be held on the 21st. Alongside the lower-bracket final, both played as best-of-five, the stage will feature the first reveal of a new map, the first addition in a year since Korod was unveiled at Masters Toronto 2025 last June. A showmatch using the newly introduced map will also take place where the Masters London champion is decided, drawing even greater attention from fans around the world.
A variety of activities for fans worldwide has also been prepared. During the tournament, the in-game Oracle of Victory event in VALORANT will run, and based on prediction results, participants can earn plentiful rewards, from limited weapon charms available only during Masters London to titles and sprays.
Masters London will be broadcast live on online platforms such as YouTube (link), CHZZK (link), and SOOP (link). For more information on the schedule and results, visit the official website, the official Flickr, Instagram(@valorantesportskr), and TikTok(@valorantesportskr).
Courtesy of Riot Games
