EWC 2026 VALORANT qualifiers are already underway in EMEA and Pacific

Qualification for Esports World Cup 2026 in VALORANT is now running in two regions at the same time. EMEA and Pacific both opened on May 11 and will continue through May 31 to decide who reaches the main event in Riyadh.

Two-stage structure

Each qualifier is split into a short opening stage and a larger second phase. The first stage runs from May 11 to May 13 with four teams in a compact bracket, while Stage 2 expands to eight participants from May 22 to May 31.

The format puts immediate pressure on every team, because one bad week can end the EWC run before the full regional field is even assembled.