CCT Global Finals 2026 officially return to LAN, as Champion of Champions Tour organizers have confirmed that the season-ending tournament will take place from April 23–26, 2026, at SAW Esports Arena in Porto, Portugal. The event will feature eight teams, offer a $75,000 prize pool, and run in a Double Elimination format.
Format and schedule
The tournament will span four days and follow a clearly defined structure.
- On April 23, teams will take part in Media Day activities before the competition opens with Winners Round 1.
- On April 24, the action continues with upper bracket semifinals, while the lower bracket begins at the same time.
- On April 25, the tournament reaches a key stage with the upper bracket final, additional lower bracket matches, and the lower bracket semifinal.
- Finally, on April 26, the event concludes with the lower bracket final and the Grand Final, which will be played as a Bo5.
All other matches throughout the event will be played in a Bo3 format.
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Invites, VRS, and wildcard slots
CCT will determine the list of participants through a mix of ranking-based invites and open qualification pathways.
Specifically, six teams will receive direct invites via the Global VRS, starting from rank 13. In addition, two wildcard slots will go to the winners of Parken Challenger Championship #1 and #2.
At the same time, the organizers have introduced a strict replacement policy. If a team withdraws more than 20 days before the event, CCT will replace it using the same VRS criteria. However, if a withdrawal occurs closer to the start date, the next eligible team from the European VRS will take priority. Moreover, CCT reserves the right to deny any replacement if it could compromise the competitive integrity of the tournament.
- Invite date: March 12, 2026
- VRS publication: March 2026
- Initial seeding: April 2026
- Event tier: Tier 2 (Wildcard Event)
Prize pool distribution
The tournament will feature a $75,000 total prize pool, split between organizations and players.
- 1st place: $30,000 ($15,000 club / $15,000 players)
- 2nd place: $17,500
- 3rd place: $10,000
- 4th place: $7,500
- 5th–6th place: $3,000 each
- 7th–8th place: $2,000 each
As a result, even lower-placed teams will secure guaranteed payouts, while the winner receives a balanced split between club and roster.
Location and logistics
The event will take place at SAW Esports Arena in Porto, marking a full European LAN return for CCT. Teams will need Schengen visas, and they must cover travel and accommodation themselves. Additionally, all participants must complete an on-site check-in on April 23 at 08:00 CET. CCT may also request documentation to confirm eligibility and attendance.
Community reaction
Following the announcement, the community responded with noticeable optimism. Analyst Travis captured the general sentiment by writing “1 step closer to the CCT Major ”, suggesting that the series continues to move toward a higher competitive status.
Meanwhile, fans highlighted the symbolic tone of the reveal. Artwork shared by ADS Dragon with the caption “A sacred dragon awakens” quickly became a metaphor for CCT’s renewed LAN ambitions. At the same time, some users raised practical questions, particularly regarding the decision to limit the Global Finals to eight teams.
Overall, the reaction reflects cautious optimism, with many viewing the Porto LAN as a critical milestone rather than a final destination.
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What this means for the CS2 scene
Ultimately, bringing CCT Global Finals 2026 back to LAN sends a clear signal about the stability and growth of the Tier-2 CS2 ecosystem. By combining VRS-based invites, wildcard pathways, and a Bo5 Grand Final, CCT positions the event as both a proving ground for rising teams and a meaningful step toward long-term relevance on the international calendar.
