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The VCT Americas Stage 1 2026 playoffs kick off today, May 14, at the Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles. Eight teams battle in a double-elimination bracket for three coveted spots at Masters London (June 6–21, $1M prize pool). Here's everything you need to know about the bracket, the favorites, and who has the momentum.
Two groups of six teams played a full round-robin group stage (April 10–May 11). Only the top four from each group made the cut.
Group Alpha qualifiers:
Group Omega qualifiers:
Eliminated at the group stage: Cloud9, ENVY, Sentinels, and a historically bad Evil Geniuses squad (2-10, -47 map differential).
The playoffs run on a double-elimination format. All matches are Best-of-3, except the Lower Final and Grand Final which are Best-of-5.
Upper Bracket Round 1 (May 14):
Upper Bracket Semifinals (May 16):
Lower Bracket Round 1 (May 15):
Grand Final, May 24 (BO5)
Source: Riot Games / valorantesports.com
MIBR enter as the clear favorites. The Brazilian squad dominated Group Alpha and arrives with the deepest champion pool in the region. Their aggressive style translates especially well on Lotus and Sunset.
KRÜ Esports were the runaway winners of Group Omega (9-3 record, +23 map differential). The Chilean roster has been on a quiet tear all split, and their coordination is arguably the tightest in the league right now.
LOUD had a shaky group stage but don't sleep on them. LOUD is a team that historically elevates its level in playoffs. They've been to Masters multiple times and they know how to close.
G2 Esports look dangerous on paper, finishing with a strong +30 map differential in Alpha. Their firepower is real, but the question is whether their mental holds in elimination scenarios.
Inspired by the level on display? Take on the Valorant queues on Amber.gg and see how your game compares to the best in the Americas.
Cloud9's rocky rebuild didn't pay off in Stage 1. C9 brought in Notexxd after benching v1c mid-split, but the team finished last in Group Alpha. The new lineup will have the summer to gel: check out the full story on the Cloud9 roster shake-up.
Evil Geniuses' collapse was the biggest shock of the group stage. EG benched three players mid-stage as results cratered, and the organization is in full rebuild mode. You can read the deep-dive on EG's overhaul here.
Sentinels narrowly missed the playoffs on map differential, tied 6-6 with NRG in Group Omega but eliminated on tiebreakers. Relive the pivotal week 4 clashes in our MIBR, NRG, FURIA and Sentinels week 4 recap.
The top 3 finishers at VCT Americas Stage 1 earn direct qualification to Masters London 2026 (June 6–21). Masters London is the first international event of the year, with a $1,000,000 prize pool featuring 12 teams across all four regions (Americas, EMEA, Pacific, China).
The 1st-place Americas team earns a direct playoff seed at Masters. Finishing 2nd or 3rd earns a Swiss Stage spot. Every match now has Masters London stakes, which makes each series must-watch 👀
For more context on who's already locked in from other regions, see our full Masters London qualifiers breakdown.
If you want to compete at a high level yourself, join the Valorant ladders on Amber.gg and test your skills in real ranked matches for prizes.
The VCT Americas Stage 1 playoffs run May 14–24 at the Riot Games Arena in LA. The road to London starts now. 🏙️
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