VALORANT Champions 2026 features 16 teams split into four GSL-style double-elimination groups from September 24 to October 4 in Shanghai, with all group-stage series contested as best-of-three. The top eight advance to a double-elimination playoff bracket running October 7–18, where nearly every match remains best-of-three except the lower-bracket final and grand final, which shift to best-of-five. Total maps hinge on how many series reach their maximum length—particularly in the longer playoff runs—and whether favorites deliver sweeps or underdogs extend matches, as the fixed bracket depth and limited best-of-five slots create predictable ranges around average series outcomes. No format alterations have occurred ahead of the event.