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All the EMEA Closed Qualifiers have concluded and we finally have a clear picture of the twelve Valorant teams that will be competing in the VCT: EMEA Stage 1 Challengers on February 11th.
Acend, Gambit Esports, Team Liquid, and Fnatic received direct invites to compete in the upcoming EMEA Challengers, while the remaining eight had to fight their way there through the EMEA Closed Qualifiers. The number of teams that will qualify for Stage 1 Masters and the final prize pool are both still unknown, but we’re certain Riot will reveal all the information in due time.
Europe, Turkey, and CIS all had two separate Closed Qualifiers. Europe is the only region that has four teams representing the region, two from each Closed Qualifier, while CIS and Turkey are left with two teams each.
The first EU Closed Qualifier saw Guild Esports and BIG finish first, while the second saw G2 Esports and LDN UTD as the winners. SuperMassive Blaze secured the spot right away in the first TR Closed Qualifier, and the second Turkish team that qualified was BBL Esports who overpowered Futbolist in the TR 2nd Closed Qualifier grand finals.
And that leaves us with FunPlus Phoenix and Natus Vincere, who will both be representing the CIS region in the upcoming Valorant Champions Tour Stage 1 Challengers.
The VCT EMEA Challengers will begin with the Group Stage where the two groups will fight to decide the winners. Each group will have 6 teams. The top 3 teams will qualify for the Playoffs, while the bottom team will advance to the VCT 2022: EMEA Promotion Tournament where they’ll have another shot at making it to the VCT EMEA Challengers 2.
Gambit and Team Liquid are the favourites in this group and we expect both of them to qualify for the playoffs. The third spot will be a coin toss between BIG and FunPlus Phoenix.
Natus Vincere and LDN UTD could surprise us and place higher on the list, but the Valorant betting odds are against them.
While group A will certainly attract a lot of attention from fans of Valorant, it is group B where we anticipate all the best Valorant action to take place.
Acend, the VCT 2021 World Champions, will face against Fnatic, G2 Esports, SuperMassive Blaze, Guild Esports, and BBL Esports. It’s going to be a real battleground and all esports bets are off the table.
G2 Esports had a rough start, but after they switched Mixwell for Keloqz they quickly recovered. Fnatic just completed their roster with BraveAF and they’ll be looking to score some early points.
SuperMassive Blaze was a team that surprised many during the VCT 2021: EMEA Stage 3 Challengers Playoffs, but then they fell off. Hopefully we’ll see more from them this time around. And you definitely shouldn’t write off Guild Esports or BBL Esports just yet. All it takes is one or two upsets and they can easily secure the playoffs.
Unlike the previous year, the Valorant Champions Tour 2022 is a bit more condensed and there’s two instead of three Challengers events. But on the other hand, the Challengers will last much longer, giving the fans plenty of time to enjoy all the Valorant action.
The VCT: EMEA Stage 1 Challengers will begin on February 11th and continue until March 27th, lasting for over one month! Not only will this be a great way to spend your free time, but also an excellent opportunity to do some Valorant betting. Make sure not to miss it!
Freelance writer with a passion for gaming and esports. Loves a good old-school RPG, and enjoys spending time with his dogs.
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