Best performers of Stage 2 in every VCT region: Kachoww shines bright among proven stars

When taking a look at the best performers of the VCT 2026 Stage 2, 17-year-old Samet "Kachoww" Arıcı leads the competition with the highest Average Combat Score (ACS) across all regions. One of the biggest surprises, however, is that none of the top performers worldwide will be participating in VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - Champions Shanghai.

Top Performers of the VCT 2026 Stage 2

Kachoww was one of the biggest surprises of Stage 2, not only because he is just 17 years old, but also because of his undeniable talent and impressive game sense.

With his help, Fire Flux Esports became the Tier 2 team that went the furthest in Stage 2, securing a fourth-place finish in EMEA. No other Tier 2 team made it as far into the competition, marking a historic run in the first year that Tier 2 squads got to compete alongside Tier 1 teams.

Except for Francis "OXY" Hoang, all of the remaining top performers of Stage 2 made their debut in 2026, once again highlighting the amount of talent coming through Tier 2 and showing that these players are slowly proving they can compete against the best in the world.

The top performing player of each region in Stage 2 is:

• EMEA: Samet "Kachoww" Arıcı
• Americas: Francis "OXY" Hoang
• China: Mikhail "swagzor" Vanyushin
• Pacific: Nathanon "endoistzin" Ammaree

Who are the Stage 2 stars?

Kachoww

Kachoww was one of the biggest surprises of Stage 2. At only 17 years old, the young player showed what the Turkish are made of, displaying unbelievable talent and resilience throughout the stage.

Not only did he surprise everyone with his duelist plays, but he also came in ready to break every record he could.

He broke the VCT EMEA records for highest Average Combat Score (499), Average Damage per Round (310), and Kills per Round (1.93).

In EMEA, the young player took the spotlight, but experienced players like Kamil "kamo" Frąckowiak and Martin "marteen" Pátek were not far behind, ranking as the next two players with the highest ACS in the stage, respectively.

OXY

In the Americas, however, the leaderboard was all about American talent. Right after OXY, Mark "Boni" Bonifacio and Peter "Asuna" Mazuryk followed in the ACS rankings. Asuna even ended up winning the stage with 100 Thieves.

OXY is one of the most consistent cases in the region, as even with his organization not making it much further in the stage and not even qualifying for international events, he always finds a way to pop off and show how good of a duelist he is.

OXY has been a constant presence on the ACS leaderboards over the last couple of years while representing Cloud9.

endoistzin

The Thai player was one of the biggest surprises in the Pacific. He was considered one of the most talented players in the Challengers tier and one of the star players who will be part of the next generation of talent.

At only 19 years old, he joined Xipto ahead of Stage 2, and despite the team not making a deep run, he showcased what the next generation of VALORANT talent can bring in the upcoming years.

In the region, Ibuki "Meiy" Seki and Jung "Xiesta" Si-hwan were the next two players in ACS. Xiesta also debuted in 2026, bringing, once again, a reason to believe that these talented young Tier 2 players will shape the future of the title.

swagzor

One of the biggest talents also coming from European Tier 2 for Stage 1, swagzor has been proving that he deserves his place among the best. He joined Nova Esports in April 2026, and since then, he has helped the team win VALORANT China Evolution Series - 2026: Act 2 and secure fourth place in VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - China Stage 2. This was the best placement the organization has ever had.

Swagzor brought us some of the most fun Neon and Raze plays, showcasing an incredible amount of knowledge. His dominance in movement and Operator plays made him one of the best in the region.

Always getting out of his chair and hyping up his teammates, he came very close to leading NOVA to the international stage, but ended up being eliminated by the Stage 2 winners. He was also voted as the VCT China 2026: Stage 2 Regular Season MVP.

The rising power of Tier 2

In 2026, Riot Games allowed the top four Challengers teams in each region to compete in the VCT Stage 2. Their impact was especially noticeable in EMEA, where Tier 2 teams dominated the competition and defeated some of the biggest organizations in the region.

While Tier 2 teams in other regions did not achieve the same level of success as those in Europe, their presence still highlighted just how competitive and powerful these teams can be when facing the best in the world.

At VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - Americas Stage 2 and VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - China Stage 2, no Tier 2 teams qualified for the playoffs stage.

In VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - Pacific Stage 2, only ONSIDE GAMING secured a playoffs spot, while three Tier 2 teams qualified for the playoffs in VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - EMEA Stage 2.

With all the changes coming to the circuit in 2027, we can expect more unknown talent and new teams to surprise everyone in the Open Qualifiers, while also introducing new storylines and personalities to the scene.

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 Sasha Safronova/Riot Games