Top esports tournament to make China debut this month

The Valorant Champions 2026, one of the highest-level international esports tournaments and Valorant’s top-tier global esports tournament, is set to land in China for the first time, running from Sept 24 to Oct 18 in Shanghai, said organizers on Wednesday.

As the crowning event of the Valorant esports calendar, the tournament will gather 16 top teams across the world to compete for the Valorant World Champion crown, including four teams from China: Tyloo Gaming, JD Gaming, EDward Gaming, and XLG Esports.

Organized by Riot Games and TJ Sports, the tournament will kick off at Shanghai Jing’an Sports Center, and the grand final will take place at the Mercedes-Benz Arena.

During the tournament, a variety of cultural and leisure activities will also take place across the city to offer global visitors immersive experiences, extending the city’s charm from esports to fashion, culture, entertainment and more.

Visitors will be able to discover the tournament’s elements in a wide variety of locations such as Haidilao hotpot restaurants, Manner Coffee shops and the jazz bar Speak Low. Pop Mart will launch limited-edition collaborative collections, special themed-parks, sculptures, interactive installations and visual arts featuring the game title will also be set up in the Qiantan area to promote the tournament, according to the organizers.