All veteran players returning to VALORANT Champions in 2026

At VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - Champions Shanghai, the best players in the world will compete for the most prestigious trophy in VALORANT. While reaching this stage is already a major achievement, lifting the trophy carries a different weight for those who have fallen short in previous attempts. This year, 45 players return to the biggest stage, hoping to finally claim the title that has eluded them throughout their careers.

The Player With the Most Appearances at VALORANT Champions

In 2026, Yu "BuZz" Byung-chul extended his record, becoming the only player in the world to qualify for every Champions event since the tournament was first held. The only two players who could have matched this record, Jake "Boaster" Howlett and Kim "MaKo" Myeong-kwan, failed to qualify for the event this year, leaving BuZz as the sole player to reach this milestone.

Of the 16 teams competing at VALORANT Champions 2026, only two will field lineups with no previous Champions experience: LOUD and TYLOO. However, unlike TYLOO, which has one player with previous international experience, LOUD is entering the tournament with five players yet to compete internationally.

On the other hand, NRG and T1 are the only teams entering the tournament with full veteran lineups.

NRG's case is particularly interesting, as four of their starting five players will be looking to lift the Champions trophy for the second consecutive year, a feat that has never been achieved before. At the same time, they will be aiming to extend the record for the most Champions titles (2) by a player, which is already held by their in-game leader, Ethan "Ethan" Cole Arnold.

Total International Finals

Despite having the most Champions appearances, BuZz is surprisingly not the player with the most international finals. That record is shared by Jason "f0rsakeN" Susanto and his teammate Ahmad Khalish "d4v41" Rusyaidee bin Nordin, who have represented Paper Rex since the organization was founded in 2021. Both players have reached 14 international finals across global events, including Masters and Champions.

They are followed by BuZz and Wang "Jinggg" Jing Jie, Paper Rex's duelist, with 12 international finals each.

Next on the list, six players are tied with 11 international finals appearances. These are:

• Kim "stax" Gu-taek
• Zheng "ZmjjKK" Yongkang
• Zhang "Smoggy" Zhao
• Wan "CHICHOO" Shunzhi
• Wang "nobody" Senxu
• Nikita "Derke" Sirmitev

Rounding out the top 10, Timofey "Chronicle" Khromov has reached 10 international finals.

VALORANT Champions 2026

Regardless of age, nationality, or team, VALORANT Champions remains an event no fan will want to miss. Every match matters, and for many players, the tournament represents the biggest stage of their careers.

While it is still too early to know who will lift the trophy, fans can expect top-level VALORANT action in Shanghai from September 24 to October 18, 2026.

For all things VCT-related, make sure to stay tuned to THESPIKE.GG as we continue to update you with the freshest game and esports news.

Featured Image by Adela Sznajder/Riot Games