The VALORANT Champions 2026 tournament in Shanghai features a 16-team field split into four GSL-style double-elimination groups, with every group-stage series contested as best-of-three. The top eight advance to an eight-team double-elimination playoff bracket where all matches remain best-of-three except the lower final and grand final, which shift to best-of-five. Total maps hinge on series length and bracket depth: shorter 2-0 or 3-0 outcomes reduce the count, while competitive upsets and three-map or five-map deciders increase it. Groups were finalized in early September after Stage 2 playoffs and Championship Points qualification concluded across Americas, EMEA, Pacific, and China, with no major roster or format changes reported since. The event opens September 24 and runs through October 18, so early-round results will quickly clarify how many series extend and shape the cumulative map total.