Pick’Ems for VCT Masters London 2026 went live on May 27, and you have until June 6 to lock in your Swiss Stage predictions before the first map loads at Copper Box Arena. The task is straightforward: pick four of the eight teams to advance, and if you can nail the one squad that goes through undefeated at 2-0, you earn bonus points. Everyone who submits at least one prediction walks away with the exclusive “Bossman” in-game title. Finish in the top 50% globally and you add the “REF?!?” gun buddy to your collection. The top 20% receive a golden variant, and a perfect score across both stages earns the ultra-rare “100%” title.
Simple rules. Getting them right is another matter.
VALORANT Patch 12.10 dropped on May 27 alongside the Pick’Ems window, but it carries no agent balance changes. Replay friend-sharing, two new Skirmish maps (D and E), and a handful of UI fixes define the update. The meta-relevant patch was 12.09, which arrived on May 12 with targeted Neon nerfs and a full shotgun accuracy rework. The larger Sentinel and Initiator adjustments Riot has previewed remain locked behind Patch 13.00, scheduled after Masters London concludes. That means London plays on the current meta, where post-nerf Neon remains the most selected Duelist across every region.
The Meta London Will Be Played On
The Neon conversation has shifted since 12.09, but the agent has not disappeared. Riot removed the bunny-hop speed exploit by standardizing her airborne speed to melee movement, and restricted kill-based fuel regeneration to her ultimate window only. Shotguns took a parallel hit, with running and jumping accuracy nerfed across all three weapons.
These changes shrunk Neon’s margins. The “thoughtless space-taking” that defined Stage 1, where she averaged over 80% pick rate globally, no longer exists in the same form. But teams that built their entire attacking structures around Neon’s ground-level sprint-and-slide pressure can still run her. The slide remains intact. The stuns remain intact. Derke, Primmie, sato, and every other Neon specialist heading to London practiced through two full weeks of 12.09 before this event. Their read on the post-nerf agent will be sharper than ranked queue impressions suggest.
The real question for your Pick’Ems: which teams adapted their Neon usage after 12.09, and which ones kept forcing the pre-nerf playbook? Teams that leaned on aerial momentum as a crutch lost their most reliable entry tool. Teams that already played Neon with disciplined ground-level pathing barely noticed the change.
Swiss Stage Teams and Seedings
Eight teams enter the Swiss Stage. The four regional first seeds, G2 Esports, Team Heretics, Paper Rex, and EDward Gaming, skip directly to Playoffs and will pick their upper bracket opponents from whoever survives.
| Seed | Americas | EMEA | Pacific | China |
| 2nd | Leviatรกn | Team Vitality | FULL SENSE | XLG Esports |
| 3rd | NRG | FUT Esports | Global Esports | Dragon Ranger Gaming |
The Round 1 draw, conducted after VCT Americas Stage 1 concluded, produced four matchups with no intra-regional collisions:
| Match | Team A | Team B |
| 1 | XLG Esports (CN #2) | NRG (AM #3) |
| 2 | Team Vitality (EMEA #2) | Dragon Ranger Gaming (CN #3) |
| 3 | FULL SENSE (PAC #2) | FUT Esports (EMEA #3) |
| 4 | Leviatรกn (AM #2) | Global Esports (PAC #3) |
Win twice and you advance. Lose twice and you go home. From Round 2 onward, intra-regional matchups are permitted, and teams face opponents with matching records. Round 3 prohibits rematches from earlier rounds.
Match-by-Match Breakdown: Round 1
XLG Esports vs. NRG
NRG enter London as reigning VALORANT Champions. They finished third in Americas Stage 1, which masks the reality that Ethan and this roster remain one of the most complete teams in the world. Their Santiago run earlier this year ended with a third-place finish after falling to Paper Rex in the lower bracket final, and the experience gap between NRG and XLG at international events is significant. XLG Esports attended Masters Santiago alongside EDG and exited in 11th-12th place. China’s second seed improved during Stage 1 domestically, going unbeaten through groups with the best round differential in the region before losing to EDG in the grand final. On paper, they have tools to compete. In practice, NRG’s LAN pedigree and Ethan’s mid-round calling make this a clear favorite situation.
Prediction: NRG wins.
Team Vitality vs. Dragon Ranger Gaming
Team Vitality assembled one of the strongest rosters in EMEA for 2026. Derke, Chronicle, Jamppi, PROFEK, and Sayonara reached the EMEA Stage 1 grand final, falling to Team Heretics in a five-map series. The Derke-Chronicle reunion puts two former Fnatic international champions on the same side, and Jamppi’s IGL transition has given this team a structural backbone that their 2025 iteration lacked. Dragon Ranger Gaming qualified through China’s lower bracket after a group stage exit at Champions 2025. Their international sample size is thin, and Vitality’s firepower advantage across all five positions should prove decisive. Three of the four Round 1 matchups are first-ever meetings, and this one favors the team with more answers.
Prediction: Team Vitality wins.
FULL SENSE vs. FUT Esports
This is the Round 1 matchup with the widest range of outcomes. FULL SENSE, Pacific’s second seed, are making their Masters debut as a full-Thai roster after acquiring TALON’s VCT Pacific partnership slot. The core of Crws, JitboyS, and Primmie competed at Champions 2024 under the TALON banner and took down Paper Rex in the Pacific Stage 1 upper bracket final before losing the grand final 0-3 in the rematch. Primmie’s duelist ceiling is international-caliber, and Crws showed strong mind-game awareness throughout Pacific playoffs. FUT Esports, EMEA’s third seed, returned to the international stage after defeating Eternal Fire in VCT EMEA playoffs, carrying Turkish fan energy and a well-drilled tactical system. FUT attended Masters Santiago and know what LAN-level execution demands.
The Pacific’s aggressive tempo can overwhelm structured European setups, and FULL SENSE’s lack of international film cuts both ways: opponents also have nothing to prepare against. Primmie’s ceiling gives FULL SENSE the edge here, but FUT’s composure could flip this series on a map like Bind or Ascent where execution matters more than raw mechanics.
Prediction: FULL SENSE edges it in three maps.
Leviatรกn vs. Global Esports
Leviatรกn rebuilt around young Brazilian talent and veteran IGL kiNgg, now in his fifth VCT season with the organization. sato, blowz, Neon (Bruno Rodrรญguez), and spike (Rodrigo Lombardi) powered the team through a strong Americas Stage 1 campaign that saw them finish second. They beat FURIA, MIBR, and G2 during their upper bracket run before losing the grand final rematch to G2 in five maps. For most of this roster, London is their international debut, but the level of competition they cleared in Americas playoffs speaks for itself. Global Esports became the first Indian organization in VCT history to qualify for a Masters event, securing their first-ever Pacific playoffs appearance before being eliminated. Their ceiling is genuine, but LAN experience at this level is nonexistent. Leviatรกn’s preparation pipeline through Americas, one of the most tactically demanding regions, should carry them through.
Prediction: Leviatรกn wins.
Projecting the Full Swiss Bracket
If Round 1 breaks as expected, the picture for Round 2 sorts itself into two tiers:
1-0 teams (likely): NRG, Team Vitality, FULL SENSE, Leviatรกn 0-1 teams (likely): XLG, Dragon Ranger Gaming, FUT Esports, Global Esports
Round 2 pairs teams by record, and this is where the bracket tightens. Intra-regional matchups become legal, and the draw randomizes within each win-loss pool.
Among the 1-0 group, NRG vs. Leviatรกn would be a test of Americas’ depth on the international stage. NRG’s LAN track record makes them the favorite, but Leviatรกn’s grand final run showed this roster can absorb pressure and adjust across a series. Vitality vs. FULL SENSE is the other probable 1-0 clash. Vitality’s structural advantage under Jamppi’s calling and the Derke-Chronicle partnership should prevail, though FULL SENSE’s aggression could punish passive rounds.
Among the 0-1 group, FUT Esports vs. Dragon Ranger Gaming and XLG vs. Global Esports look like the probable elimination matchups. FUT’s LAN composure gives them the better shot at surviving, and XLG’s domestic form should handle Global Esports’ limited international toolkit.
Four Teams to Lock In Your Pick’Ems
Based on the matchup paths, regional form, and meta adaptability:
NRG are the safest pick in the field. Champions pedigree, experienced IGL, and the only Swiss Stage team that has won an international title. If any team goes 2-0, NRG is the bet.
Team Vitality have the roster talent and tactical infrastructure to survive three rounds of Swiss play. Their EMEA grand final experience under pressure gives them a resilience that newer rosters lack.
Leviatรกn present the most exciting value pick. Their Americas playoff run demonstrated that kiNgg’s system works against top opposition, and the team’s young Brazilian core has shown the ability to perform at their best in high-stakes series.
FULL SENSE or FUT Esports take the fourth spot, and this is where your Pick’Ems get personal. FULL SENSE bring a higher mechanical ceiling through Primmie and play a Pacific-style tempo that disrupts structured opponents. FUT bring LAN experience, EMEA tactical depth, and familiarity with international-level pressure. The fourth prediction depends on whether you trust potential or process.
| Pick’Ems Slot | Team | Confidence |
| Advancing | NRG | High |
| Advancing | Team Vitality | High |
| Advancing | Leviatรกn | Medium-High |
| Advancing | FULL SENSE | Medium |
| 2-0 Bonus Pick | NRG | Best odds |
The Deadline and What Comes Next
Swiss Stage Pick’Ems close on June 6 when the first match begins. A second Pick’Ems window for Playoffs opens around June 11-12, after the Swiss concludes and the Playoffs bracket is drawn. The four teams that survive Swiss join G2, Heretics, Paper Rex, and EDG in a double-elimination bracket, with the first seeds selecting their upper bracket opponents.
Submit through the VALORANT client or on the official Riot website. One prediction is all it takes for the Bossman title. Getting the rest right is where the analysis starts.
