VCT 2026: EMEA Kickoff averaged over 28% fewer viewers than last year
In our final recap of the four international leagues (ILs) that marked the start of the 2026 season for Valorant esports, we analyse one of its more-followed regions. The EMEA Kickoff concluded on February 15, and despite format tweaks that ensured more matches for audiences, it drew similar numbers to last year, though average viewership declined.
Readers must note that Riot Games introduced the rarely seen triple-elimination format for this year's Kickoff tournaments. As a result, teams had three lives to stay in the contest, which slightly diluted the jeopardy that made the previously used double-elimination bracket such a staple of the game's competitive scene.
Moreover, the organizers expanded the number of regional slots that would qualify for the first international championship of 2026. Each IL now has three qualification spots for the Valorant Masters Santiago 2026, up from two per region at the Valorant Masters Bangkok 2025.
VCT 2026: EMEA Kickoff viewership statistics
The VCT 2026: EMEA Kickoff put up strikingly matching livestreaming numbers to the kickoff event from 2025. It accrued 12.9 million Hours Watched (HW), a marginally higher 6.63% than what was seen at the VCT 2025: EMEA Kickoff, even though there were a lot more matches on offer.
The first Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) event for the Europe, the Middle East, and Africa region peaked at 336,652 viewers during the Day 15 clash between heavyweights Gentle Mates and Fnatic. This Mid Bracket Final attracted just over 2,500 Peak Viewers (PV) more than the 2025 EMEA Kickoff. Whoever won would seal its place in the year's first Masters tournament in Chile, with the former edging to a 3:2 victory.
The one major difference was seen in the two VCT Kickoff competitions' average viewerships. This year's edition attracted 141,013 Average Viewers (AV), a comparatively sharp fall of 28.35% from 2025, with audiences seemingly losing interest after the early exits of powerhouse names like Natus Vincere and Karmine Corp.
Karmine Corp's exit from the Lower Bracket Round 2 was especially hard, as the superclub, co-owned by French Twitch sensation Kamel "Kamet0" Kebir, is a big draw among audiences. Moreover, compared to last year's podium, only Team Liquid was able to finish among the top three in 2026, with BBL Esports and Gentle Mates qualifying for their maiden Masters tournament.
In terms of languages, English continued to be the leader, once again accumulating over 40% of the total watch time. French jumped up a spot to second despite seeing its share of the watch time decrease by around 1%, with audiences missing Kamet0's livestreams after his side crashed out at the start of the Lower Bracket. However, the exploits of Gentle Mates, owned by two other iconic French content creators in Corentin "Gotaga" Houssein and Lucas "Squeezie" Hauchard, helped the language essentially match last year's numbers.
Interestingly, Twitch saw a fall in its overall watch time share from 2025, with Kick and YouTube benefiting from its misfortune. BBL Esports and Gentle Mates' successful runs also proved crucial, as their owners — Squeezie, Gotaga, and Kick star Ferit "wtcn" Karakaya — ended as the three most popular channels to cover the action.
Wtcn's coverage also helped Turkish see a year-on-year rise in its cumulative watch time by 66.2%. As a result, it climbed past Spanish to become the third most-watched language at this Valorant competition, with its share of this pie increasing by around 3.6%.
In the end, the substantial changes that Riot brought in didn't really benefit the EMEA region, with viewers seemingly seeing the new format as overly complicated. Additionally, many top sides failed to go the distance and qualify for the Masters Santiago, resulting in a drop in the average viewership.
Nevertheless, with the four regional Kickoff leagues done, the focus shifts to the first big tournament on the 2026 Valorant esports calendar. The Valorant Masters Santiago 2026 will run from February 28 to March 15, bringing together the 12 best sides from these regions as they battle for global glory and a prize pool of $1 million.
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