VCT Americas Stage 2 2026: Playoff Format, Qualified Teams & Full Schedule
Aug 23, 2026, 12:27 AM · 1 min read
Live schedule and standings: VCT Americas
The VCT Americas Stage 2 2026 playoffs kick off on Thursday, August 27, 2026. Eight teams clash for the regional crown and two direct berths at VALORANT Champions 2026 in Shanghai. As the Play-In stage concludes on August 23, two teams have already punched their upper-bracket tickets, leaving the final two lower-bracket spots on the line this weekend.
At a glance
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Dates | August 27 – September 6, 2026 |
| Venue | Riot Games Arena · Suhai Music Hall, São Paulo (Top 4 / Finals Weekend) |
| Field | 8 teams (4 regular season + 4 Play-In qualifiers) |
| Format | Double elimination · Bo3 (Lower Final & Grand Final in Bo5) |
| Prize pool | $250,000 |
| Stakes | Americas title + 2 direct Champions Shanghai berths |
Format & how it works
The tournament follows the standard VCT playoff double-elimination structure:
- Group stage byes: the two regular-season group winners advance directly to the upper semifinals. The two runners-up enter in upper round 1 against Play-In qualifiers.
- Play-In advancement (August 13 – 23): the top two teams from the Play-In upper bracket slot into playoff upper round 1. The 3rd and 4th placed teams from the Play-In lower bracket enter directly into the playoff lower bracket.
- Series length: every matchup is a best-of-three (Bo3), except for the Lower Final and the Grand Final, which are best-of-five (Bo5).
- Double elimination: dropping a series in the upper bracket moves a team into the lower bracket, where a second defeat results in elimination.
The field
Group winners bypass the first round, while runners-up await their Play-In opponents.
| Team | Group record | Starting round |
|---|---|---|
 NRG | Alpha 5–0 | Upper semifinals (bye) |
 100 Thieves | Omega 4–1 | Upper semifinals (bye) |
 Leviatán | Alpha 4–1 | Upper round 1 |
 LOUD | Omega 3–2 | Upper round 1 |
- Qualified via Play-Ins (Upper bracket):
MIBR and 
FURIA (face Leviatán and LOUD in Upper round 1). - Final 2 Play-In spots (Lower bracket): locked following the decider matches on Sunday, August 23.
Schedule and key dates
Times shown in Brasília time (BRT) and Paris (CEST, BRT +5).
Play-Ins (Final deciders)
- Saturday, August 22, 21:00 BRT (Sunday 02:00 CEST): Sentinels vs KRÜ Esports
- Sunday, August 23, 18:00 BRT (23:00 CEST): ENVY vs G2 Esports
- Sunday, August 23, 21:00 BRT (Monday 02:00 CEST): Evil Geniuses vs Sentinels/KRÜ winner
Playoffs (Upper round 1) — Thursday, August 27
- 18:00 BRT (23:00 CEST): LOUD vs Play-In qualifier
- 21:00 BRT (Friday 02:00 CEST): Leviatán vs Play-In qualifier
Playoffs (Upper semifinals) — Friday, August 28
- 18:00 BRT (23:00 CEST): NRG vs Upper Round 1 Winner
- 21:00 BRT (Saturday 02:00 CEST): 100 Thieves vs Upper Round 1 Winner
Lower bracket & finals weekend
- August 29 – 31: Lower round 1 and lower quarterfinals.
- Friday, September 4: Upper Final and Lower Semifinal.
- Saturday, September 5: Lower Final (Bo5).
- Sunday, September 6: Grand Final (Bo5) at Suhai Music Hall, São Paulo.
Where to watch
Catch all the action live on ReadyCheck: official streams (English, Spanish, Portuguese) are embedded directly on our match pages alongside real-time stats and live bracket tracking.
VCT Americas hub — bracket, full schedule, and live streams- Valorant hub — live scores and VCT circuit coverage
