Riot Announces Major Overhaul: Challengers NORTH//EAST to Unify Northern and Eastern European VALORANT Ecosystem

Riot Games has announced a significant restructuring of its VALORANT ecosystem in Challengers EMEA. Starting in 2025, VALORANT Challengers Northern Europe: North and Eastern Europe: East sub-regions will merge to form Challengers North//East, introducing a conference system designed to maintain competitive integrity while fostering growth across both territories.

The decision follows the collapse of Polska Liga Esportowa (PLE), the tournament organizer for Challengers East, which faced financial difficulties earlier this year. With PLE unable to sustain operations, Riot sought a solution to preserve opportunities for Eastern European teams, while elevating competition overall.  

Context and Challenges

PLE’s financial struggles had left the future of Eastern European VALORANT uncertain. The organizer had previously hosted several iterations of the Challengers East league, but reports of unpaid debts and operational issues led to its eventual shutdown. This left Riot in a position to reconsider how to support the region’s teams and players.  

Merging the leagues not only resolves logistical challenges but also offers a larger and more competitive field, paving the way for more thrilling regional rivalries and higher-quality broadcasts.  

A New Format for a Unified Vision  

Challengers NORTH//EAST will operate under a conference-based structure, ensuring that teams from both Northern and Eastern Europe are well-represented, while competing in a unified format. The league will expand to 24 teams, offering more opportunities for teams across the two regions to prove their worth at every stage of the competition.  

To facilitate this expanded competition, Riot Games is introducing “The Mountain”, a new format for the 2025 season. This structure will create a more open and competitive environment where teams can progress through various stages, from regional qualifiers to the finals:

• Phase 1: Regional Qualifiers (North and East)

• Phase 2: Lower Swiss

• Phase 3: Upper Swiss

• Phase 4: Playoffs, culminating in BO5 matches for the Lower Final and Grand Final  

Teams will be able to qualify for Challengers EMEA by securing Top 4 finish in each stage, representing both regions at a higher competitive level.  

Qualification Process for 2025  

In mid-January, Challengers NORTH//EAST will kick off with two separate qualifiers:

• Open Qualifier for Eastern Europe:

  • Eastern Europe will begin with a single-elimination BO3 tournament, with the top 4 teams advancing to Stage 1 of Challengers North//East. registration will begin in December.

• Last Chance Qualifier for Northern Europe:

  • Northern Europe will feature a Last Chance Qualifier for the 6 teams that participated in ECLIPSE playoffs but did not qualify earlier in the season. These teams include:

    • EXO Clan

    • Team Oasis

    • YARI x CTRL

    • Bitfix Gaming

    • Netsservices

    • Ruddy

The top 2 teams from this qualifier will secure spots in Stage 1 of Challengers NORTH//EAST.

Addressing Regional Challenges

The financial troubles of Polska Liga Esportowa had left Eastern Europe without a stable competitive platform for VALORANT. Riot’s decision to merge the two leagues into a unified Challengers NORTH//EAST circuit aims to provide the necessary structure and support for these teams to continue competing at the highest level.  

Riot’s restructuring also offers a larger, more dynamic competitive environment that will increase the excitement of the Challengers circuit. By integrating both regions into one league, Riot hopes to elevate the overall level of play and foster intense rivalries between teams from Northern and Eastern Europe.  

As the league progresses, teams will battle it out for spots in the prestigious Challengers EMEA and Ascension offering a pathway to the highest levels of VALORANT esports. Riot’s decision underscores their commitment to providing opportunities for players in both regions, ensuring that even in challenging times, the competitive scene continues to grow and evolve.