Look, let us be honest—the group stage of the tactical shooter VALORANT Champions Shanghai wrapped up on June 4th. The Americas and Pacific regions flexed their muscles heavily throughout this stage, and the playoffs are scheduled to kick off on October 7th.

In this group stage, three teams from the Pacific region—Paper Rex, T1, and Nongshim RedForce—booked their tickets to the playoffs. Paper Rex punched an early ticket to the playoffs by taking down both Team Liquid and G2 with matching 2-1 scores to top Group C. T1 and Nongshim RedForce stumbled in their opening group stage matches, but bounced back with two consecutive wins to seal their playoff spots. T1 exacted sweet revenge against FUT Esports, sweeping them 2-0 after suffering two defeats against them at Champions Los Angeles 2023. Nongshim RedForce kept their momentum rolling into 2026 by marching into the playoffs on their very first Champions stage appearance.

Over in the Americas region, all four participating squads survived the gauntlet and made it to the playoffs. They put on an absolute clinic in the group stage, dropping a meager five sets out of twenty-two. Notably, Americas top seed 100 Thieves stormed into the playoffs without dropping a single set, showing off some of the best form in the entire group stage.

On the flip side, the host CN region suffered a total wipeout as all four of their teams crashed out. Edward Gaming, the reigning Champions winners from 2024, packed their bags without securing a single map win. Meanwhile, Team Vitality stood as the lone survivor for the EMEA region in the playoffs.

With the Americas and Pacific regions dominating the scene, chatter is growing louder about whether we will witness a brand new piece of Champions history. Ever since the tournament kicked off in 2021, a different team has lifted the trophy every single year. Last year's winners, NRG, are back in the mix and punched their playoff ticket with a clean 2-0 record in Group D, setting their sights on becoming the first back-to-back and two-time champions. The Pacific region is also hunting for its very first Champions title, and fans are eager to see if this is the year it finally happens. The Pacific region's highest finish to date was a runner-up spot secured by Paper Rex back in 2023.

Set in a double-elimination bracket, the marquee matchup of the playoffs on October 7th pits NRG against T1. Both sides are viewed as massive hurdles for anyone hoping to write their own history books. Paper Rex will square off against LOUD following the NRG versus T1 clash, while Nongshim RedForce will trade blows with EMEA's final remaining hope, Team Vitality, on October 8th.