VCT 2026 Kickoff analysis: Pacific dominates while Americas struggles with early upsets

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The professional Valorant scene is gearing up for its first Major of 2026. All four regional VCT Kickoff leagues have recently wrapped up, delivering not only thrilling storylines for fans but also some unexpected viewership trends. Most notably, VCT Pacific has emerged as the new leader in overall audience reach, significantly outperforming last year’s frontrunner, VCT Americas. What caused this shift, and how did the other regions perform? Let’s break it all down in this article.

First and foremost, Riot Games introduced major format changes to the 2026 Kickoff tournaments. In previous seasons, teams competed in a standard double-elimination bracket. This year, the organizers switched to a much rarer triple-elimination format — a structure that’s almost unheard of in modern esports.

Another key update was the expansion of regional slots. Each region now has three qualification spots for VALORANT Masters Santiago 2026, up from two per region for VALORANT Masters Bangkok 2025 last year.

The changes were substantial, but they didn’t benefit every region equally. For some viewers, the new format felt overly complicated, while the expanded number of qualification slots arguably reduced the overall stakes and competitive tension. Several additional factors contributed to the rise — or decline — in audience engagement across regions.

VCT Pacific Kickoff 2026 showed clear year-over-year growth: total watch time surged by 50%, while peak concurrent viewership increased by 28%. One of the tournament’s most compelling storylines was the breakout run of Nongshim RedForce. The newly promoted squad made an immediate impact in the top division, going on to win the event. Along the way, they defeated established contenders such as Team Secret, T1, FULL SENSE, and Rex Regum Qeon, cementing their status as the tournament’s biggest surprise.

Read more: VCT 2026: Pacific Kickoff notches new peak viewership record as old favorites, breakout force shine

VCT Americas Kickoff 2026 told a very different story. Peak concurrent viewership fell sharply by 33%, while total watch time remained nearly flat — despite the tournament’s expanded format. A major factor behind the decline was the early exit of Sentinels and LOUD, the two most high-profile and commercially influential teams in the Americas region. With both squads eliminated early, much of the tournament unfolded without its biggest viewership drivers.

Read more: VCT 2026 Americas Kickoff sees minimal watch time growth as expanded format reshapes competition

VCT EMEA Kickoff 2026 essentially matched last year’s peak viewership numbers, showing little change at the top end of its broadcast metrics. However, the competitive lineup saw notable shifts. Of last year’s podium finishers, only Team Liquid returned to the top. Meanwhile, BBL Esports and Gentle Mates secured qualification for a Masters event for the first time in their history.

Read also: VCT 2026: EMEA Kickoff averaged over 28% fewer viewers than last year

VCT China Kickoff 2026 saw its peak concurrent viewership on Western platforms drop by 50% year over year. However, it’s difficult to draw firm conclusions about the league’s overall performance. The bulk of its audience watches through major domestic streaming platforms such as DouYu, Huya, and Bilibili, where full viewership data is not always publicly available.

Read more: VCT 2026: China Kickoff sets record low international viewership since league debut

As a reminder, the top teams from the regional VCT Kickoff 2026 leagues will face off at VALORANT Masters Santiago 2026 on the Esports Charts report page.