VALORANT Champions 2026 Playoff Bracket: Paper Rex vs LOUD on Oct 7
Paper Rex face LOUD in the upper quarterfinals of VALORANT Champions 2026 on Wednesday, October 7, 2026 at 7:00 PM WIB (8:00 PM SGT/MYT/PHT), after NRG vs T1 at 4:00 PM WIB (5:00 PM SGT). The matchup came out of the bracket draw (Draw Show) on Sunday, October 4, after LOUD and T1 took the last two playoff spots. The other two quarterfinals are on Thursday, October 8: 100 Thieves vs G2 Esports at 4:00 PM WIB and Team Vitality vs Nongshim RedForce at 7:00 PM WIB. The group stage is covered in our October 3 playoff schedule article.
VALORANT Champions 2026 Playoff Bracket After the Draw
| Day, date | WIB | SGT/MYT/PHT | Upper quarterfinal | Winner goes to | Loser drops to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wed, Oct 7 | 4:00 PM | 5:00 PM | NRG (Group D winner) vs T1 (Group A runner-up) | Upper semifinal, Sat Oct 10 | Lower round 1, Fri Oct 9 |
| Wed, Oct 7 | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Paper Rex (Group C winner) vs LOUD (Group B runner-up) | Upper semifinal, Sat Oct 10 | Lower round 1, Fri Oct 9 |
| Thu, Oct 8 | 4:00 PM | 5:00 PM | 100 Thieves (Group A winner) vs G2 Esports (Group C runner-up) | Upper semifinal, Sat Oct 10 | Lower round 1, Fri Oct 9 |
| Thu, Oct 8 | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Team Vitality (Group B winner) vs Nongshim RedForce (Group D runner-up) | Upper semifinal, Sat Oct 10 | Lower round 1, Fri Oct 9 |
The bracket matches the official VALORANT Esports bracket data. Wednesday’s two matches sit on the same side of the bracket, as do Thursday’s, so Paper Rex can meet 100 Thieves, G2, Vitality or Nongshim no earlier than lower round 2 or the upper final. 7:00 PM WIB is the official start; in the group stage, the second match of the day began between 6:00 and 7:30 PM WIB, depending on the first match (VLR.gg).
Sunday’s Deciders: LOUD and T1 Take the Last Spots
| Match | Score | Maps |
|---|---|---|
| LOUD vs Global Esports | 2-0 | Split 13-8, Sunset 13-9 |
| T1 vs FUT Esports | 2-0 | Sunset 13-10, Ascent 13-10 |
LOUD trailed 5-8 on Split, Global Esports’ pick, then won the last eight rounds, and opened Sunset with a 7-0 lead. erde went 46/23/15 across the series, while the Philippines’ PatMen had the most kills for Global Esports at 45/33/5. T1 won Sunset 13-10, then came back from 2-6 on Ascent, FUT’s pick, with iZu posting 46/27/12. Scores and stats match on VLR.gg and Liquipedia.
Paper Rex vs LOUD: How Both Teams Got Here
Paper Rex won Group C with 2-1 wins over Team Liquid and G2. The roster features Indonesia’s Jason “f0rsakeN” Susanto, Malaysia’s d4v41, Singapore’s Jinggg, the Philippines’ invy, and something. This year Paper Rex reached two Masters finals and lost both: 0-3 to Nongshim RedForce at Masters Santiago (March) and 2-3 to LEVIATÁN at Masters London (June).
LOUD advanced as Group B runner-up: a 2-0 win over EDward Gaming, a 0-2 loss to Team Vitality, then the decider win. Before Shanghai, LOUD finished second in VCT Americas Stage 2 after a 2-3 loss to 100 Thieves in the final.
In the other Wednesday quarterfinal, NRG have not dropped a series in Shanghai (2-0 over Nongshim RedForce, 2-1 over Karmine Corp), while T1 lost 0-2 to 100 Thieves before beating JD Gaming and FUT. On Thursday, G2, who lost 1-2 to Paper Rex in the group stage, face 100 Thieves, and Masters Santiago 2026 champions Nongshim RedForce take on Team Vitality.
Lower Bracket Paths and Schedule to the Grand Final
| Day, date | WIB | SGT/MYT/PHT | Round | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Oct 9 | 4:00 PM | 5:00 PM | Lower round 1 | NRG/T1 loser vs Paper Rex/LOUD loser |
| Fri, Oct 9 | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Lower round 1 | 100T/G2 loser vs Vitality/Nongshim loser |
| Sat, Oct 10 | 4:00 PM | 5:00 PM | Upper semifinal | NRG/T1 winner vs Paper Rex/LOUD winner |
| Sat, Oct 10 | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Upper semifinal | 100T/G2 winner vs Vitality/Nongshim winner |
| Sun, Oct 11 | 4:00 PM | 5:00 PM | Lower round 2 | Loser of the 4:00 PM semi vs winner of Friday’s 7:00 PM match |
| Sun, Oct 11 | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | Lower round 2 | Loser of the 7:00 PM semi vs winner of Friday’s 4:00 PM match |
| Fri, Oct 16 | 1:00 and 4:00 PM | 2:00 and 5:00 PM | Upper final, lower round 3 | Last four teams |
| Sat, Oct 17 | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | Lower final (Bo5) | Lower round 3 winner vs upper final loser |
| Sun, Oct 18 | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | Grand Final (Bo5) | Upper bracket winner vs lower bracket winner |
A loss in the lower bracket means elimination. Matches through October 11 are at Jing’an Sports Center, and the final three days at Mercedes-Benz Arena.
VALORANT Champions 2026 Prize Money by Placement
| Placement | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st | USD 1,000,000 |
| 2nd | USD 400,000 |
| 3rd | USD 250,000 |
| 4th | USD 130,000 |
| 5th to 6th | USD 85,000 each |
| 7th to 8th | USD 50,000 each |
These figures come from the official Champions Shanghai ruleset. The two teams that lose in lower round 1 on Friday finish 7th to 8th.
How to Watch, Drops and Pick’Ems
Riot’s official broadcast is on YouTube (@ValorantEsports) and Twitch (valorant). According to the official Watch and Earn page, watching the live broadcast for at least 30 minutes during the playoffs unlocks the “Prepared” title, and 30 minutes of the Grand Final unlocks the “Stamp of Approval” spray. Playoff Pick’Ems opened after the October 4 Draw Show and lock about 10 minutes after the first playoff game starts, around 4:10 PM WIB (5:10 PM SGT) on Wednesday, October 7. Rewards include the “Calculated” title for joining and the “100%” title for perfect picks; all need a valid Riot account. If you need VP for a bundle or skin, you can top up VP on ItemGame with your full Riot ID and tagline, for example PlayerName#1234; Malaysian accounts use Valorant MY.
FAQ
What time is Paper Rex vs LOUD? Wednesday, October 7, 2026 at 7:00 PM WIB (8:00 PM SGT/MYT/PHT) on the official schedule, after NRG vs T1 at 4:00 PM WIB. The start can shift depending on how long the first match runs.
Are Paper Rex out if they lose to LOUD? No. They drop to lower round 1 on Friday, October 9 at 4:00 PM WIB (5:00 PM SGT) against the loser of NRG vs T1. A team is only eliminated after a second loss.
Who do Paper Rex play in the upper semifinal if they win? The winner of NRG vs T1, on Saturday, October 10, 2026 at 4:00 PM WIB (5:00 PM SGT).
When is the VALORANT Champions 2026 Grand Final? Sunday, October 18, 2026 at 1:00 PM WIB (2:00 PM SGT/MYT/PHT) at Mercedes-Benz Arena, Shanghai, best-of-five. The champion takes USD 1 million.
