As the new season approaches, the Americas region enters 2026 with twelve
VALORANT teams, an exceptionally active offseason, and projects that have been thoroughly reworked. Between partner organisations and the Ascension winners, every organization arrives with at least one significant change, and the race toward Masters Santiago begins almost immediately.
The season will open with the
VCT Americas Kickoff. The competition will be played in a triple-elimination format, with the top three teams securing qualification for
Masters Santiago. Once again, the league is built around the ten partner teams and two Ascension teams. The Ascension representatives for 2026 are G2 Esports and ENVY, with ENVY replacing 2GAME Esports among the participating teams after 2GAME exited VCT Americas following an underwhelming run of results.
One of the most notable moves involves MIBR, who made a major signing by bringing in
Zachary âzekkenâ Patrone to pair him with Erick
âaspasâ Santos, on paper, one of the leagueâs most explosive duos. At the same time, Gabriel
âcorteziaâ Cortez takes the opposite route, leaving MIBR to join Sentinels, who are beginning a new cycle with a substantially rebuilt roster.
The offseason also features the return of two VCT Americas legends in MatĂas âSaadhakâ Delipetro and Felipe âLessâ de Loyola Basso, 2022 world champions with LOUD, after spending a year in EMEA. Finally, NRG are turning the page as well: following their Champions 2025 title in Paris, Sam âs0mâ Oh stepped away from competition, and the organisation moved to sign Georgio âkeikoâ Sanassy to fill the vacancy ahead of the 2026 season.
