Valorant VCT EMEA: Karmine Corp is in the grand final — the Barcelona weekend schedule, and what the Shanghai ticketing doesn't cover

Karmine Corp beat FUT Esports 2-0 on Friday, August 28, in the upper bracket final of the VCT EMEA. The result counts double: the French team is in the grand final on Sunday and already qualified for VALORANT Champions 2026 in Shanghai. All that's left for them to claim is the title.

Who they'll face is still up in the air. This Saturday, August 29, at 5 p.m. CEST, Team Liquid and FUT Esports play the lower bracket final, in a best-of-five. The winner becomes the other finalist and the second EMEA qualifier; the loser goes home. Here's the schedule, where to find French-language commentary, and why the Shanghai ticketing details are worth a close look.

What's still on the line in Badalona

The VCT EMEA Stage 2 final is being held from August 28 to 30 at the Olimpic Arena in Badalona, on the outskirts of Barcelona. Two days and two official matches remain.

• Saturday, August 29, 4 p.m. CEST — creators showmatch, France against Spain. Not part of the competition, but held on the main stage.
• Saturday, August 29, 5 p.m. CEST — lower bracket final, Team Liquid against FUT Esports, in a best-of-five. It determines the second finalist and the second EMEA representative at Champions.
• Sunday, August 30, 5 p.m. CEST — Opening ceremony, followed by the grand final, also a best-of-five.

Don't mix up the two Saturday events: the showmatch airs first at 4 p.m., with the official match following at 5 p.m. If you're only following one, it's the second one that counts in the standings.

On Sunday, the winner takes home the trophy, the Stage 2 champion title, and the EMEA's seed 1 spot in Shanghai; the series MVP is sponsored by OMODA. The Opening Ceremony kicks off with a first: Catalan artist Mushkaa will perform her remix with Catalan sounds of VILLAIN (Take a Shot).

English and Spanish on the official desk, everything else via co-streamers

Before looking for a stream: the official broadcast runs in English and Spanish only this weekend, the Spanish desk joined by LEC presenters. If you watch in English, the main stream is all you need. Riot has announced no French-speaking commentators, so French coverage relies entirely on the co-streamers on site: WiPR, HyP, APO, and Kameto.

One detail to keep in mind: HyP is also playing on the France team in the 4 p.m. showmatch. His stream won't cover that time slot the way the other three will.

The creators showmatch

• France, led by ZeratoR: ZeratoR, MoMaN, HyP, TakaS, and CyvOph.
• Spain, led by Mixwell: Mixwell, SirMaza, Blackelespañolito, Borja, Viizzzm, and Nixerino, plus two substitutes.

If you're attending today

The arena's rules mean plenty of people are being turned away at the entrance:

• 16 years old minimum, no exceptions: the game is rated PEGI 16 and no parental accompaniment lifts the rule.
• Bags no larger than A4 size, checked at the entrance. Riot recommends bags open at the top, to slide under the seat.
• No outside food or drink.
• Cosplay allowed, but with an uncovered face, no accessory longer than one meter, and no costume or weapon made primarily of metal or wood.
• The Fan Fest is free to attend.

Riot wrote on August 24 that it wasn't too late for a last-minute ticket. Five days have passed: check availability before making the trip.

Shanghai: ticket sales open Sunday evening, and they don't cover everything

Mastercard priority purchase runs from Sunday, August 30, 6 p.m. CEST to Tuesday, September 1, 6 p.m. CEST, excluding mainland China — cardholders there go through Damai. You need to enter the first eight digits of the card during purchase and pay with a Mastercard. The general sale follows on Wednesday, September 2 at 6 p.m. CEST, via MAISEAT internationally.

Prices are given in yuan, per event day.

• Weekday (September 24, 29 and 30, October 8, 9 and 10): Tier 1 Pack at ¥1,128, Tier 1 at ¥488, Tier 2 at ¥366, Tier 3 at ¥288, Tier 4 at ¥198.
• Weekend (September 25, 26 and 27, October 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 and 11): Tier 1 Pack at ¥1,208, Tier 1 at ¥568, Tier 2 at ¥468, Tier 3 at ¥388, Tier 4 at ¥288.

Tier 1 Packs are reserved for Chinese residents: no point aiming for them from outside mainland China.

The conditions to read before paying

The event operates with named tickets: non-transferable and non-resellable tickets. Internationally, a passport serves as identification at purchase, and it's that same physical passport that must be presented at the entrance, along with facial recognition. Maximum four tickets per account and per event, each linked to a separate ID. No seat selection: placement arrives in the digital wallet 2 to 3 days before.

Refunds possible from September 2, 6 p.m. CEST to September 17, 9 p.m. CEST, with a 3.5% fee, entire order only, once per event day, payout within 5 to 10 business days.

The point no one will bring up

This sale only covers the group stage and the bracket stage, at the Jing'an Sports Center, and the dates it lists stop at October 11. Yet the Champions event is announced through October 18, and Riot specifies that the tournament will move across the city for a finals weekend at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Pudong.

The two schedules don't contradict each other: tickets for finals weekend are simply not part of this sale, and no date has been announced for them. If your goal is the world final, don't blow your budget Sunday evening thinking you've secured it.

Two dates to remember, then: 5 p.m. this afternoon for the team that will complete the lineup, 5 p.m. Sunday for the title.