Champions Shanghai 2026 Tickets: International Guide for Groups and Finals Weekend
Written by Valorant Village
Source-backed coverage ●
Champions Shanghai has two official ticket notices, and they cover different parts of the event. The August 26 notice covers Groups and early playoffs at Jing’an Sports Center. Riot’s September 9 Finals Weekend notice covers October 16–18 at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Pudong. Do not carry a venue rule or sale date from one notice into the other.
For an international buyer, the shared non-negotiable is simple: use the official route, enter passport details exactly, and bring that same physical passport. Riot says both notices use real-name tickets, identity checks and facial recognition. A ticket in the wrong person’s name is not something to fix at the gate.
Pick the notice that matches your date
The original Groups and early-playoffs notice is still the source for Jing’an Sports Center dates, its ticket route and its rules. Finals Weekend is a new purchase decision: Riot says it moves to Mercedes-Benz Arena and uses MAISEAT for international purchasers.
Riot’s September 9 notice gives these Finals Weekend sale windows in China Standard Time (CST, UTC+8). The UTC conversions below are calendar reminders, not a substitute for checking the live official page before payment.
| Finals Weekend sale | Riot time | UTC |
|---|---|---|
| Mastercard Priority begins | September 13, 2026, 11:00 CST | September 13, 03:00 UTC |
| Mastercard Priority ends | September 15, 2026, 11:00 CST | September 15, 03:00 UTC |
| General sale begins | September 16, 2026, 11:00 CST | September 16, 03:00 UTC |
Priority purchase is for eligible Mastercard cardholders outside mainland China. Riot says the first eight digits are used to check eligibility and payment must be completed with Mastercard. Cardholders in mainland China should use Damai instead. Those are the published conditions, not a promise that a card will secure a ticket.
Your passport is part of the ticket
For Finals Weekend, Riot says international purchasers must use a valid passport and bring the original physical passport to the venue. The ticket information must match it. Tickets are non-transferable and non-resellable; identity verification and facial recognition are required for entry. Riot says an attendee whose identity cannot be verified will not be admitted.
Pause before submitting the order. Compare the passport spelling, number and assigned attendee to the physical document. Riot sets a maximum of four tickets per account per event, with a unique valid ID linked to every ticket. It also says that using the same ID for the same session across official platforms can lead to the entire order being cancelled. That makes a shared order possible, but one passport cannot stand in for a group.
Choose a Finals Weekend day and tier
Finals Weekend runs October 16–18. Riot lists Lower Semifinals and the Upper Final on October 16 and 17, then the Grand Final on October 18. For October 16–17, the listed individual tiers range from ¥388 to ¥988, with a Tier 1 Bundle at ¥1,708. For October 18, individual tiers range from ¥488 to ¥1,388, with a Tier 1 Bundle at ¥2,108. Use Riot’s full tier table for availability and the exact bundle terms.
The notice calls the listed doors-open and show-start times local time, but does not identify a timezone in that section. Do not convert those daily venue times from the article alone. Check the live ticket and event pages when you plan travel or arrival.
Pack for the specific venue
Finals Weekend does not allow re-entry, according to Riot’s September 9 notice. Travel light: bags larger than 16.5 × 20.5 × 5.5 inches are prohibited, and Mercedes-Benz Arena does not provide bag, coat or pram storage. Outside food and drinks are prohibited. Professional cameras, detachable phone lenses, tripods, gimbals, GoPros, recording equipment, banners, flags, signs, laptops, drones and laser pointers are also on the prohibited list. Read the complete list before packing, because the final decision remains with event staff.
Cosplay is welcome under additional limits. Riot says face coverings and obstructive accessories are not permitted, which matters when entry includes facial recognition. Prop or imitation weapons are prohibited, and costumes must be soft fabric rather than rigid material. Those restrictions are specific to this event’s entry setup; do not assume that a previous local event used the same policy.
A short check before you pay
- Confirm whether your date is at Jing’an Sports Center or Mercedes-Benz Arena.
- Open the matching Riot notice and official ticket link directly.
- Match each attendee’s passport details before purchase.
- Set an alarm from the UTC table only for the Finals Weekend sale.
- Recheck the live notice for ticket availability, refunds and venue policy just before payment.
For tournament format and dates outside the ticket notices, see our Champions Shanghai calendar and format guide. Ticket availability and rules can change. Riot’s live notice should be the last page you read before paying.
Sources checked
- Champions Shanghai: Finals Weekend Live Audience and Ticket Sale Information, VALORANT Esports / Riot Games, published September 9, 2026; checked September 9, 2026 UTC. Used for the Finals Weekend venue, international sale route and windows, pricing, passport and identity conditions, ticket limits, entry, bag, recording and cosplay policies.
- Champions Shanghai: Live Audience and Ticket Sale Information for Groups and Early Playoffs!, VALORANT Esports / Riot Games, published August 26, 2026; checked September 9, 2026 UTC. Used to keep Groups and early-playoffs coverage separate from Finals Weekend.
