2025 VALORANT Champions Tour — Everything You Need To Know
Riot Games is making big changes for the VALORANT esports landscape with the 2025 VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT), introducing expanded leagues, enhanced competitive formats, and an extended season to elevate the experience for players and fans alike. The journey to crown the next VALORANT Champion officially begins in January 2025 and culminates with Champions Paris in October.
Expanded League System
For the 2025 season, Riot Games has increased the league size to 12 teams in EMEA, Pacific, China, and the Americas, promising more matchups and competition:
League Structure:
Each league uses a double-elimination bracket.
The top four teams from 2024 receive a bye to Round 2 of the playoffs, while others battle from the outset.
Match Pacing:
Teams are guaranteed a minimum of 12 matches per season, with the potential for up to 23 matches before advancing to global events.
A mid-season stage reset splits teams into fresh groups of six, refreshing matchups and ensuring variety.
The restructured calendar ensures better pacing, spreading events across January to October and allowing teams ample recovery and preparation time.
Key Dates to Remember
The VCT season kicks off with individual league tournaments, each highlighting its region’s most skilled competitors:
January 11: VCT China Kickoff
January 15: VCT EMEA Kickoff
January 16: VCT Americas Kickoff
January 18: VCT Pacific Kickoff
Global Event Highlights
Masters Bangkok (February 20 - March 2): The first international event sees the top two teams from each league compete in an 8-team Swiss stage, followed by double-elimination playoffs. This marks the first major clash of regions in 2025.
Masters Toronto (June 7 - June 22): Top-performing teams from Stage 1 playoffs three from each league (12 total) advance to this tournament. The competition includes an 8-team Swiss stage with playoff spots for the best-performing squads. Notably, top seeds from each league earn byes to subsequent stages, adding strategic importance to early performances.
Champions Paris (September 12 - October 5): The grand finale of the season brings together the best teams from both stages, as well as top performers based on the revised Championship Points system. Featuring four 4-team groups in the opening stage and an 8-team double-elimination playoff, this event will determine the 2025 VALORANT World Champion.
Championship Points
Consistency is the cornerstone of the VCT 2025 competitive framework. Teams will earn Championship Points at every stage of the season, and these points will play a critical role in determining qualification for Champions Paris 2025. Here’s how points are awarded across key events and stages:
Kickoff Event
Winner: 3 points
2nd Place: 2 points
3rd Place: 1 point
4th Place: 1 point
Masters Bangkok
Winner: 5 points
2nd Place: 3 points
3rd Place: 2 points
4th Place: 1 point
Stage 1
1 point per match win
Stage 1 Playoffs
Winner: 5 points
2nd Place: 3 points
3rd Place: 2 points
4th Place: 1 point
Masters Toronto
Winner: 7 points
2nd Place: 5 points
3rd Place: 4 points
4th Place: 3 points
5th-6th Places: 2 points
Stage 2
1 point per match win
Stage 2 Playoffs
Winner: 7 points
2nd Place: 5 points
3rd Place: 4 points
4th Place: 3 points
Points accumulated across the season will define the Champions qualification, rewarding teams for consistent and exceptional performance throughout the year.
What’s New for 2025?
Extended Competition Calendar: The season spans 10 months, balancing high-stakes matches with sufficient breaks to ensure optimal performance and compelling storylines.
Increased Matches per Team: Players and fans will enjoy more games per team, offering a richer viewing experience. Each team competes in at least 12 matches, with high-performing teams reaching up to 23 matches before global events.
Stage Resets: League stages reset mid-season, splitting teams into two groups of six, ensuring variety and avoiding repetitive matchups.
Expanded Playoffs: Each league’s playoffs adopt an 8-team double-elimination format, providing longer survival chances for teams and more dramatic comebacks.
Revamped Championship Points System: Points will be distributed more broadly, rewarding consistency across all stages and offering new qualification paths to international events.
A Truly Global Competition
48 teams worldwide will battle it out, representing their regions in the most competitive season yet.
By combining local league play with intense international events, Riot Games ensures that the best teams and storylines emerge at every stage.
The season's finale at Champions Paris promises to deliver unforgettable moments, showcasing the pinnacle of VALORANT competition.
With expanded leagues, innovative formats, and a refined calendar, the 2025 VALORANT Champions Tour aims to push competitive boundaries. Stay tuned as the best teams embark on their quest for the ultimate prize, beginning this January.
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