12 teams, $1,000,000 prize pool, $350,000 for the winner. VCT Masters London runs June 5 to 21 at Copper Box Arena — the first international Valorant event held in the UK.
The VCT calendar has two Masters events per season before Champions. Masters Santiago opened the year. Masters London closes Stage 1 and sets the standings heading into Stage 2. Every team in London is fighting for two things: prize money and VCT points. Eight points go to the winner. Those points are the currency for Champions Shanghai qualification later in the year. For teams sitting on the edge of the points threshold, a deep London run is the difference between making Champions and going home early. Players who want to top up before following the action can manage their LootBar Valorant top-up ahead of the event.
Enjoy up to 22% off on Game Top-Ups.
3-Minute Delivery for Non-Stop Gaming.
Trusted 4.9/5 on Trustpilot, 10/10 among Players.
Official Partnership Route, Protect Your Game Wallet.
Event Details
Copper Box Arena, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London. June 5 to June 21, 2026. First international Valorant event in the UK. London has hosted League of Legends' 2023 MSI and the 2024 LoL World Championship Final before — Riot has used the city before and it works. Prize pool: $1,000,000 USD.
Prize Pool Breakdown
1st: $350,000 + 8 VCT pts. 2nd: $200,000 + 6 pts. 3rd: $125,000 + 5 pts. 4th: $75,000 + 4 pts. 5th–6th: $50,000 + 3 pts each. 7th–8th: $35,000. 9th–10th: $25,000. 11th–12th: $15,000.
For most teams, the points matter more than the money. Shanghai qualification runs on accumulated points across the full season. Fifth place in London is 3 points. Seventh place is zero. That gap decides who is in Shanghai and who is not.The VCT Championship Points also carry seeding weight for Champions. Teams with more points get better group draw positions. A deeper London run compounds through the rest of the season in ways that the prize money does not.
The 12 Teams
Three teams from each of the four VCT regions qualified through their Stage 1 standings.
Americas: G2 Esports, Leviatán, NRG. G2 took the regional title 3-2 over Leviatán in the grand final — their fourth Americas title, seventh consecutive international qualification. Leviatán came in second. NRG secured the third Americas spot through a lower bracket run, eliminating 100 Thieves to claim the final qualifying position.
EMEA: Team Heretics, Team Vitality, FUT Esports. Heretics won the regional title through a full lower bracket run, beating Vitality in the grand final. First title in the organisation's history. Vitality qualified despite a rough path. FUT Esports is back on the international stage.
VCT Pacific: Paper Rex, FULL SENSE, Global Esports. Paper Rex got here by beating T1 in an elimination match — the same T1 that won Masters Bangkok. FULL SENSE took the Pacific partner slot in 2026 after TALON collapsed. Thai roster, new to Tier 1, and already at a Masters within their first season. Their only previous international appearance was Champions 2021. Global Esports are the first Indian organisation in VCT history to qualify for a Masters event. Three years in VCT Pacific without an international LAN, and they finally got there in Stage 1 — while also securing their first-ever Pacific playoffs appearance.
China: EDward Gaming, Xi Lai Gaming, Dragon Ranger Gaming. EDward Gaming won China Stage 1 3-2 over Xi Lai Gaming in the grand final and arrive as the 2024 Champions winners. Xi Lai Gaming went unbeaten through the group stage with a 5-0 record and the best round differential in the region. Dragon Ranger Gaming secured the third China spot by beating All Gamers in the lower bracket semifinal.
Format: Swiss Stage Into Double Elimination Playoffs
The format mirrors Masters Santiago. Twelve teams split into two phases.
Swiss Stage: June 6 to June 10. Eight teams — the second and third seeds from each region. Best-of-three matches. Win twice and advance. Lose twice and go home. Four teams make it through to Playoffs. The Swiss format means teams face opponents with the same record, which reduces first-round luck and generally sends the stronger performers through.
G2, Heretics, Paper Rex, and EDward Gaming skip Swiss entirely. They go straight to Playoffs as first seeds and pick their upper bracket quarterfinal opponents from whoever came through the Swiss.
Playoffs: June 12 to June 21. Double elimination, eight teams. Upper bracket matches are best-of-three. Grand final on June 21 is best-of-five.
Why This Tournament Matters Beyond London
2026 is the last season under the partnership model. From 2027, Riot moves to open qualifiers. Every team in London is competing in the last partnership-era Masters. Global Esports waited through multiple seasons for this qualification. It arrives in the final year the partnership system exists. Next year, they would have had to earn it the same way every team does.
G2 have reached seven consecutive international events without a Masters title. Every qualification adds to that number. London is another shot at ending it. EDward Gaming arrive as the 2024 Champions winners but have had a difficult run internationally since that peak. New coach Autumn, who won Masters Bangkok with T1 last year, has been rebuilding the team's structure through China Stage 1. A deep London run would signal the rebuild is working. Paper Rex got here by beating T1 in an elimination match. Heretics arrive as the first-ever EMEA Stage 1 winners. FULL SENSE and Global Esports are at their first Masters. The field has more live storylines than most Masters events.
Tickets and Viewing
Masters London is a ticketed live event at Copper Box Arena. Ticket availability has been limited since sales opened. The event broadcasts on Riot Games' official Twitch and YouTube channels in multiple languages — the exact broadcast language count has not been confirmed ahead of the event. VODs are available after each match day for viewers who cannot catch the live stream. SEA viewers: matches start in early evening depending on the specific timezone.
Conclusion
June 5 to 21, Copper Box Arena, London. $1,000,000 prize pool, 8 VCT points for the winner. G2, Heretics, Paper Rex, and EDward Gaming go straight to Playoffs. The other eight play through Swiss first. Three things worth watching: G2 finally getting that Masters title after seven qualifications, FULL SENSE and Global Esports making their Masters debuts, and EDward Gaming proving 2024 was not their ceiling. Champions Shanghai is the destination. London is the first big step.
Players who want to top up before following the event can manage their Valorant top-up through LootBar.
