VCT Pacific has unveiled a new system to determine which team receives priority for map and side selection in matches with equal seeding.
For Pacific’s upcoming 2026 VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT), equally seeded teams will select one player each to fight for map veto advantage in a 1v1 skirmish.
Update 14/01/26: It has since been confirmed by Leo Faria, Global Head of Valorant Esports, that this new system will be trialled across all VCT International Leagues in 2026.
VCT Pacific Kickoff 2026 will be the first event to test this new method. From January 22nd until February 15th, 12 teams will compete for one of three slots at the first VCT global event of the year, VALORANT Masters Santiago.
With Kickoff’s new triple-elimination format, the event will feature numerous best-of-three (BO3) and best-of-five (BO5) matches.
Typically, the higher-seeded team receives the right to make the first map ban and first map pick ahead of a multi-map series. In turn, the lower-seeded squad can make the second map ban/pick unless the higher seed has been awarded a double-map ban advantage.
Moreover, teams are always allowed to choose which side they would like to start the game for maps picked by their opponent. For instance, if Team A selects Bind as its first map, then Team B may choose if it would like to start on Bind’s Attacker or Defender side.
However, for matches between equally seeded teams, a coin toss commonly determines which team will receive priority during the pre-match map veto. This system is used at both VCT global events and regional tournaments across EMEA, Americas, Pacific and China.
How Does The New System Work?
Today, VCT Pacific revealed its new ruleset for awarding map-veto priority and became the first VCT region to deviate from the ecosystem’s standard coin-toss method.
According to the official announcement on social media, a 1v1 skirmish between two equally seeded teams will determine which team receives map selection advantage:
- Each team submits a player for its starting roster to compete in the skirmish.
- The time and location of skirmishes are designated by league officials.
- Skirmishes are played in a first-to-five-round format.
- Abilities are disabled, leaving only raw gunplay and mechanics as the deciding factors.
- The skirmish winner earns map veto advantage.
Although not yet confirmed, it is likely that these 1v1 battles will be part of VCT Pacific’s official broadcast, providing an additional layer of competitiveness and entertainment to these somewhat lower-stakes matches.
