VALORANT Champions 2026 will bring the season’s 16 best teams to Shanghai from September 24 to October 18, and several players arrive with genuine star potential.
This year has lacked one dominant team or region. Nongshim RedForce won Masters Santiago, LEVIATÁN claimed Masters London but still missed Champions, while 100 Thieves lifted the Esports World Cup trophy in Paris.
That volatility puts even more focus on individual players capable of deciding series on their own.
Sayonara has become a central piece for Vitality
Ștefan “Sayonara” Mîtcu enters Champions after an impressive first full year at the highest level.
The Moldovan joined Team Vitality’s rebuild alongside Derke and Chronicle but was unable to compete immediately after being announced in late 2025. Once eligible, he quickly established himself during EMEA Stage 1.
He finished that tournament with a 1.13 rating, 221 ACS and 10 successful clutches from 44 attempts as Vitality reached the Grand Final.
- Sayonara posted a 1.13 rating during EMEA Stage 1
- He improved to a 1.19 rating in Stage 2
- Vitality qualified for Champions through EMEA
- His partnership with Derke gives Vitality two major fragging threats
His Masters London numbers were less spectacular at 0.98, but the tournament still included the first ace of the event.
Sayonara then recovered strongly in EMEA Stage 2 despite Vitality finishing only seventh-eighth.
His ability to rebound after weaker tournaments makes him one of the most interesting young players entering Shanghai.
Cryocells arrives after an MVP-level season
Matthew “Cryocells” Panganiban enters Shanghai with one of the strongest individual résumés of any player in the field.
100 Thieves moved him away from his traditional Jett and Chamber-focused identity in 2026 and placed him into a more sentinel-oriented role while Timotino handled more of the Duelist responsibility.
The change worked.
Cryocells produced a 1.13 rating at the Esports World Cup, recorded 11 clutches and finished the Grand Final against NRG with 65 kills and 25 assists.
| Player | Team | 2026 highlight |
|---|---|---|
| Sayonara | Vitality | 1.19 rating in EMEA Stage 2 |
| Cryocells | 100 Thieves | Esports World Cup MVP |
| PatMen | Global Esports | VCT Pacific champion |
| Dambi | Nongshim RedForce | Masters Santiago champion |
| N4RRATE | Karmine Corp | EMEA Stage 2 champion |
Cryocells carried that momentum into the Americas Stage 2 Grand Final against LOUD, where he played three different agents and recorded the highest KAST in the series at 74%.
That versatility could become especially valuable during Champions, where deeper map pools and repeated rematches often expose one-dimensional setups.
PatMen helped Global recover from a chaotic season
Global Esports arrive in Shanghai after one of the more dramatic seasons in VCT Pacific.
The organization reached Masters London for the first time but exited during the Swiss stage. A public dispute involving Patrick “PatMen” Mendoza was followed by the departure of head coach FrosT, and the team later went winless at the Esports World Cup.
Global then recovered at exactly the right time.
The team fought through the Pacific postseason and eventually reverse-swept Masters Santiago winners Nongshim RedForce to claim the organization’s first VCT Pacific title.
PatMen was central to that turnaround.
- Global Esports won their first VCT Pacific title
- PatMen became increasingly influential during the playoff run
- The team recovered after a winless Esports World Cup campaign
- Shanghai gives Global another chance to prove the turnaround is sustainable
That makes Global difficult to evaluate. Their peak is clearly high enough to beat elite opposition, but their season also contained major fluctuations.
Dambi and Nongshim carry international pedigree
Nongshim RedForce already know what it takes to win a global event.
Their Masters Santiago victory remains one of the defining results of the 2026 season, and Dambi played a major role in that run.
The Pacific side later lost momentum domestically, but their international ceiling remains proven.
Champions offers an opportunity to show that Santiago was not a one-off tournament.
N4RRATE returns to the international stage
N4RRATE’s season has taken another unusual path.
After leaving Sentinels, he returned to Karmine Corp and helped the organization win VCT EMEA Stage 2.
That title immediately restored his position among Europe’s most dangerous players and secured Karmine Corp’s place at Champions.
His aggression and ability to create opening advantages make him particularly dangerous in short best-of-three series.
Other names could reshape the tournament
The field contains several more players with the potential to become breakout performers.
Lukxo enters with LOUD, Trent remains a key part of G2, Slowly represents TYLOO, while teams such as EDward Gaming, Paper Rex and NRG bring their own proven international stars.
The official Champions format leaves limited room for slow starts.
Sixteen teams are split across four GSL groups, with only the top two from each group advancing. The eight playoff teams then enter a double-elimination bracket, with the Lower Final and Grand Final played as best-of-five series.
Assessment
Champions Shanghai enters without one overwhelming favorite, which makes individual form particularly important.
Sayonara represents one of the strongest young breakout stories, Cryocells arrives after an MVP-caliber season, and PatMen has become a symbol of Global Esports’ late-season recovery.
The difference between those players is what makes the field interesting.
Cryocells already carries championship-level individual results. Sayonara is still establishing his international reputation, while PatMen enters after helping turn a chaotic year into a regional title.
Shanghai will decide which of those stories survives the pressure of the season’s biggest event.
