stew Joins EDward Gaming Ahead of Champions 2026

As VALORANT Champions 2026 approaches, JD Gaming and EDward Gaming have both qualified to the event. Now, stew (who formerly represented JDG) has joined EDG’s lineup. Here’s an explainer about the transfer.

stew Joins EDward Gaming as Champions 2026 Approaches

On August 21, 2026, Chinese VALORANT team EDward Gaming announced Park “stew” Young-chan will join its main roster. The young pro has a wide Agent pool, and is particularly comfortable on Duelist, Sentinel and Controller. It’s currently unclear which member he will replace or sub for, as the team already has a 5-player lineup including CHICHOO, nobody, Smoggy, zmjjKK, and invy.

stew publicized the move on his official X.com account, writing: “I’m excited to announce that I’ve joined EDG. I’m grateful for this great opportunity, and I’ll do my best to make the most of it. Fighting!” He also replied a ‘thank you’ in his native Korean to encouragement from fans.

Hi I’m excited to announce that I’ve joined EDG.

I’m grateful for this great opportunity, and I’ll do my best to make the most of it. Fighting! pic.twitter.com/bR2N3OmnZK

— stew (@X_stewyc) August 21, 2026

Previously, stew represented JD Gaming. He stayed with the organization for two years, since it acquired him in 2024 from VCL Ascension team Rare Atom. Stew began gaining attention in early 2026, making plays in VCT China Stage 1 under the JDG banner. He scored several aces during his time in the circuit.

In a Weibo post, stew explained he had departed JDG after his contract ended in June 2026. “To JDG, the team members, the coaching staff, and the fans, I am truly grateful and will return with an even better performance.”

EDG Comments

EDward Gaming released an official communication about stew’s transfer, writing (translated from the original):

“Stew’s deep role pool and extensive experience in position switching allow him to shine across different tactical systems. Whether turning the tide against multiple opponents in duels or calmly controlling the tempo in the arena, STEW has created countless breathtaking highlights.

It is believed that stew’s rich on-court experience will inject new variables into the team, and as further integration continues, his arrival will bring more possibilities for the evolution and upgrading of EDG’s tactical system. Welcome to Stew to EDG, and we look forward to moving forward side by side and reaching new heights together on the journey ahead.”

What Does this Mean? VALORANT Esports Context

JDG and EDG have some growing lore, and stew’s transfer is quite significant. When VALORANT first added the VCT China region in 2024, EDG shot onto the scene as one of its top competitors. Within just a year, they had become the Champions 2024 winners, beating Team Heretics for a massive prize pool and a place in the title’s history. This made them the first Chinese team to reach the highest possible VALORANT success, which is a big reputation to uphold.

EDG Returns to Champions

Despite EDG’s smashing 2024 season, the team sharply declined in 2025. It was eliminated from Champs before even reaching the Playoffs, and its lineup was not anywhere near its top form. In 2026, EDG is fighting to regain its glory and its reputation as one of China’s greats: the team has just qualified to Champions Shanghai through China Points. Here, the team’s resilience will be tested on the international stage. EDG got its underdog arc, but what happens next after ‘happily ever after’?

JDG’s Comeback

Hailing from the same China region, JDG is an up-and-comer in the VALORANT scene. The team had an extremely difficult start this year: it went 1-5 in the Group Stage, and got 13-0’d by FunPlus Phoenix in the Play-Ins. Despite this, it surprised the world by crushing VCT CN Stage 2, climbing the upper bracket and also securing a guaranteed qualification to Champions. The org’s resilience has earned it its first-ever international VCT event (and Champs is a pretty good one to start with, no?)

The two teams will meet on the battlefield at Shanghai, with one fighting to uphold the regional status quo and another aiming to topple it. stew was a big contributor to JDG’s gameplay for most of the year, so it’s an interesting arc that this key transfer could impact how the storyline develops.

Stay tuned for more VALORANT esports and in-game news.