This Friday marks the start of the fifth edition of Champion, in Paris (September 12 – October 5), VALORANT's Worlds. Sixteen teams will battle over the course of a month to succeed EDward Gaming, the 2024 titleholders, who will be in the French capital in pursuit of back-to-back crowns. To mark the occasion, Sheep Esports voted but also consulted ten figures from across the competitive ecosystem — including players, coaches, casters, and content creators — representing each of the four VCT regions (Americas, EMEA, China, and Pacific), to assemble its Power Rankings for Champions Paris.

1. G2 Esports (1.60)

G2 Esports enters Champions 2025 as the consensus top team, having had an absolutely dominant season in the Americas. They won all three VCT Americas titles this year, sweeping every regional final from the Kickoff through to Stage 2, a historic treble that secured their position as the region’s #1 seed. G2 have also proven their international mettle with strong performances at both Masters events, achieving a runner-up finish in Bangkok and placing fourth in Toronto.

The team's star power is undeniable. Jacob "valyn" Batio earned a Stage 2 MVP, and mid-season adversity, such as a temporary player swap, did little to slow their momentum. G2's only regional series loss was a blip against Sentinels, which they promptly avenged in the playoffs. As the top Americas seed, G2 are considered favorites to win the trophy in Paris.

2. Paper Rex (2.00)

Fresh from their landmark victory at the 2025 Masters Toronto tournament, Paper Rex have arrived at the Champions event with their first international trophy, finally shedding their reputation as perennial runners-up. The Pacific champions still play a fearless, high-octane style of VALORANT, characterised by aggressive flanks, unconventional picks, and lightning-fast execution. However, in Toronto, they also displayed a more measured approach, defeating Fnatic 3–1 in the final. The long-standing core duo of Jason “f0rsakeN” Susanto and Wang “Jinggg” Jing Jie forms the basis of their synergy and firepower.

The addition of Patrick "PatMen" Mendoza as the Controller in 2025 has seamlessly replaced Aaron "mindfreak" Leonhart without disrupting PRX's identity. What now sets them apart is their adaptability: sharper mid-round calling, cleaner retakes, and flexible compositions across the current map pool. PRX are arriving in Paris with peak confidence and veteran LAN experience, an explosive team that finally combines swagger with structure, and are chasing the one prize that remains: a VALORANT world champion title.

3. Team Liquid (3.90)

Team Liquid enter Champions 2025 as the top seed from the EMEA region and as one of the most balanced and well-drilled squads in the tournament. However, they still have something to prove internationally. Domestically, TL’s depth and structure carried them to a commanding Stage 2 title after consistently strong splits (3–0 over GIANTX). Built around the leadership and impeccable fundamentals of Ayaz “nAts” Akhmetshin, Team Liquid pair discipline with dependable firepower from Kamil "Kamo" Frąckowiak and Georgio "Keiko" Sanassy, while Nikita "Trexx" Cherednichenko adds flexible agent coverage and mid-round utility.

The discrepancy between their regional dominance and their international performance explains why the panel ranked them third. If Liquid can translate their structure and trading discipline to LAN across the current map pool, they will be genuine contenders for the title in Paris.

4. Fnatic (4.10)

Fnatic enter Paris as the third seed from the EMEA region. Yet, they remain a top-tier threat after finishing second at the Masters in Toronto, which reaffirmed their pedigree on the big stage. After a rocky start to the season, the team found their form in LAN competitions under the steady leadership of Jake “Boaster” Howlett, with the new lineup gelling under pressure. Emir “Alfajer” Ali Beder continues to be a winning condition on anchors and late-round lurks.

Mid-season pickup Austin “crashies” Roberts has added consistency in clutch situations and discipline in utility, smoothing out the mid-rounds and tightening up the post-plants without reducing Fnatic’s playmaking edge. Tactically, they rely on layered executions, robust retake setups, and a flexible map pool that allows them to adapt their pace to their opponents' tendencies. Fnatic are a formidable opponent in the early stages of the competition and a credible contender to claim the Champions crown.

5. Sentinels (6.40)

The Sentinels' 2025 renaissance is real: the North American giants have rebuilt their culture and roster, surged to become the third seed in the Americas, and re-established their international relevance after missing the Champions last year. A mid-season run of form highlighted by a 5–0 group stage, translated into a solid third-place playoff finish, and a #5 talent ranking, which signals cautious optimism. On paper, the talent is championship calibre: Zachary "zekken" Patrone remains a reliable win condition, while Jordan "Zellsis" Montemurro and Sean "bang" Bezerra bring maturity and composure to the mid-rounds.

Crucially, the proven IGL, Mohamed "JohnQT" Amine Ouarid, has tightened the structure and improved mid-series adaptation without stifling the trademark SEN flair. However, the team's weaknesses are evident: they have struggled with nerves in high-pressure knockouts, and recent losses to G2 and NRG have exposed gaps in their late-round discipline and trading. Paris is the test: if preparation and synergy pay off, Sentinels' blend of set-piece aggression and star power could see them go much further than the quarterfinals.

6. Team Heretics (7.20)

Team Heretics arrive as the #4 seed in the EMEA region, a year on from their Cinderella run to the 2024 Champions final. They have earned this spot the hard way, with a slow start followed by a late surge in points, under the leadership of veteran IGL Ričardas "Boo" Lukaševičius. Stylistically, the Heretics oscillate between slow, information-rich defaults and sudden pace spikes, creating preparation headaches for opponents but also exposing them to bouts of inconsistency when timing or spacing is off.

Their success in Paris will depend on cleaner mid-rounds and steadier economy rounds, in which they have sometimes lost momentum. The upside is undeniable: this roster has proven LAN resilience, a flexible agent pool, and enough firepower to punish favourites who overrotate or overpeek. Winners of the Esports World Cup, Team Heretics have the potential to cause an upset; if they can bring their A-game with disciplined post-plants, confident calling and precise spacing, they have the tools to recreate last year's magic and advance to the later stages of the tournament.

7. NRG (8.20)

NRG return to Champions as VCT Americas’ second seed after missing the 2024 event. The roster underwent multiple changes during 2025. Austin “crashies” Roberts and Victor “Victor” Wong departed, replaced by Andrew “Verno” Maust and Adam “mada” Pampuch. Brock “brawk” Somerhalder and Logan “skuba” Jenkins joined later, and Ethan “Ethan” Arnold became the In-Game Leader. Early 2025 results were inconsistent, finishing 7th–8th at Kickoff and Stage 2, prompting several roster adjustments.

The final lineup achieved stronger results, defeating Leviatán, Cloud9, and Sentinels in Stage 2 before losing 3–0 to G2 Esports in the grand final, securing Champions qualification. Their map performance favors Corrode (100% WR), Lotus (62%), and Haven (60%), while Ascent (25%), Bind (33%), and Sunset (0%) remain weak. mada leads the team statistically, with 246.6 ACS, 1.20 K:D, and 158.4 damage per round, also recording the most operator kills, entry frags, and aces. NRG’s performance reflects the impact of mid-season roster changes and their ability to rebound effectively.

8. Bilibili Gaming (8.80)

Bilibili Gaming (BLG) enter Champions 2025 as China’s number one seed and genuine dark horse, having landed at number seven in our community poll. They made an international name for themselves at Masters Toronto with an upset victory over Team Liquid, and then confirmed their domestic dominance by winning VCT China Stage 2 (3–1 vs DRG). This roster blends homegrown talent with veteran experience: Duelist Wang "whzy" Haozhe and Initiator Liu "Knight" Yuxiang make fearless entries and creative plays.

BLG’s identity mirrors the best of Chinese VALORANT — high mechanics, fast rotations and a willingness to fight — though this can lead to inconsistency when discipline slips. If they continue to tighten their protocols and late-round choices, BLG could be dark horses for the semi-finals. Paris is their chance to turn a domestic crown into a deep global run and establish BLG as a long-term powerhouse from China.

9. T1 (9.50)

T1 qualified as VCT Pacific’s third seed. They began 2025 with a second-place finish at Pacific Kickoff and earned their first international trophy at Masters Bangkok, defeating G2 Esports 3–2 in the final after a lower-bracket run. Stage 1 domestic performance was inconsistent, resulting in an early playoff exit. The roster, consisting of Kim “stax” Gu-taek (IGL), Yu “BuZz” Byung-chul (Flex), Kim “Meteor” Tae-oh (Sentinel/Controller), Ham “iZu” Woo-ju (Duelist/Flex), and Kang “DH” Dong-ho (Controller), showed improvement in Stage 2 after refining rotations.

Map performance favors Icebox and Ascent, with Lotus and Split around break-even, while Pearl remains volatile. Meteor provides defensive stability on Cypher and Vyse, enabling mid-round retakes and tempo control. Stax coordinates mid-round calls, while iZu and BuZz serve as space-takers and Duelists. The roster’s 2025 results demonstrate consistent execution of structured strategies, resilience in lower-bracket runs, and readiness to face the best international teams at Champions Paris.

10. Rex Regum Qeon (9.60)

Rex Regum Qeon qualified for Champions 2025 as VCT Pacific’s second seed. This marks their first international LAN appearance after a strong 2025 debut. Stage 1 success was largely driven by Ngô “crazyguy” Công Anh, who assumed the role of IGL and led strategic plays. In Stage 2, RRQ reached the grand final but lost 3–1 to Paper Rex, settling as the second Pacific representative. The team has a mixed map pool, performing well on Haven (60% WR), Sunset (63%), and Corrode (60%), but struggling on Ascent (42%) and Bind (0%).

Icebox, a historically reliable map for RRQ, will not be available at Champions. Maksim “Jemkin” Batorov leads the team statistically, averaging 233.9 ACS, 1.18 K:D, and 151.4 damage per round while alternating between Waylay and Yoru. Other roster members include Bryan “Kushy” Setiawan, Cahya “monyet” Nugraha, and David “xffero” Monangin. Across the season, RRQ experimented with multiple agent compositions, demonstrating adaptability and strategic variety that contributed to their qualification.

11. EDward Gaming (9.60)*

EDG enters Champions as VCT China’s third seed and reigning world champions. The team won Kickoff 2025, qualifying for Masters Bangkok and finishing top three after a lower-bracket loss to T1. Stage 1 domestic results saw a top-four finish, followed by a top-two group placement in Stage 2. They recovered in playoffs to secure the #3 seed. EDG’s map pool shows strengths on Corrode (4 wins in 5 games), Haven (64%), and Ascent (63%), while Lotus is weaker at 29%.

Key player Zheng “ZmjjKK” Yongkang ranks in the top five for ACS and ADR and has expanded his agent pool to include Jett, Neon, and Yoru. Supporting players include Wang “nobody” Senxu, Wan “CHICHOO” Shunzhi, Zhang “Smoggy” Zhao, and Zhang “Jieni7” Juntai. EDG’s 2025 performance demonstrates regional consistency, strong individual contributions, and sufficient point accumulation to qualify for Champions, despite limited international success this season.

*RRQ and EDG ended with the same average score (9,60), but RRQ secured the higher placement (4th) compared to EDG (5th) within the voting panel.

12. DRX (12.00)

DRX arrive as the #4 seed in the Pacific region and an unexpected #12 in our panel, which is an uncharacteristically modest position for Korea’s long-standing leaders. 2025 has been a transitional year for the team: roster changes and a stronger Pacific field meant that their results were below their usual benchmark, even though they narrowly clinched Champions on points. One constant is Kim “MaKo” Myeong-kwan, who is still performing at an elite level as a Controller and is now taking on a greater IGL load, while academy promotions such as Kim “Flicker” Tae-hee and Cho “Flashback” Min-hyuk are learning on the job.

DRX’s identity, disciplined defaults, deep preparation for every map, and solid fundamentals still shine through, but inconsistency and lapses in coordination have crept in. The upside is real, though: they opened the year by winning the Pacific Kickoff tournament, which proves that they can still achieve great things. With the pressure eased and a proud legacy to defend, reaching the quarter-finals would be a fair target; if the rookies perform well and MaKo maintains his form, finishing in the top four is definitely possible.

13. XLG (12.60)

XLG qualified as VCT China’s fourth seed. The team earned its league spot by winning Ascension CN, defeating Rare Atom 3–0. Early 2025 results included 5th–6th at Kickoff, followed by second place in Split 1 group play. Roster changes included Zhang “Midi” Jiajun replacing Yip “YoU” Man-ho and James “NoMan” Man replacing Zhuo “MarT1n” Zhengjie, with Midi stepping down afterward. Stage 2 ended with a fourth-place playoff finish, sufficient for Champions qualification.

Map performance favors Lotus (59% WR), Bind (75% WR), and Haven (3 straight wins), while Icebox was weak (14% WR) but is absent in Champions. Teng “happywei” Min-wei is the primary statistical contributor, ranking fourth overall in ACS, third in K:D, and second in ADR during Stage 2. Other roster members include Arthur “Rarga” Churyumov, Colin “coconut” Chung, and Ran “Viva” Lifan. XLG’s results indicate adaptation to mid-season roster changes and readiness for their first international Champions appearance.

14. GIANTX (12.80)

GIANTX qualified as VCT EMEA’s second seed for Champions Paris. Following a poor 2024 season, the organization overhauled the roster, initially retaining only Kirill “Cloud” Nekhozhin and Semyon “purp0” Borchev, and later integrating Emil “runneR” Trajkovski, Tomás “tomaszy” Machado, Miłosz “westside” Duda, Eduard-George “ara” Hanceriuc, Karel “Flickless” Maeckelbergh, and Grzegorz “GRUBINHO” Ryczko. Early 2025 results were inconsistent, with a 7th–8th finish at Kickoff and 9th–10th in Stage 1, prompting additional roster adjustments.

Stage 2 marked improvement, with GIANTX finishing second in Group Alpha and defeating Natus Vincere, Fnatic, and BBL Esports in playoffs before losing 3–0 to Team Liquid in the grand final, securing Champions qualification. The team’s map pool shows strong results on Sunset (71% WR), Corrode (67%), and Ascent (56%), while Bind (33%), Lotus (45%), and Haven (50%) are weaker. Standout players Flickless and ara were crucial to Stage 2 success, contributing to assists, duelist performance, and map control.

15. Dragon Ranger Gaming (13.10)

DRG qualified as VCT China’s second seed. Previously a mid-table team, they improved in Split 2, finishing top two in Group Omega and directly qualifying for Champions Paris. In playoffs, DRG defeated EDward Gaming 2–0 and XLG 2–1 before losing to BLG in the grand final. Their map pool shows strengths on Abyss, Corrode, and Bind (all 67% WR), Ascent (63%), Lotus (57%), and Sunset (57%), with Haven at 42%.

Ilya “vo0kashu” Ushakov is the standout player, performing primarily as Sentinel on Cypher, occasionally Vyse or Killjoy, with a 1.19 K:D, 220.4 ACS, and 146.7 damage per round. The roster also includes Shao “Nicc” Yi-chun, Luo “Flex1n” Rui, Lin “SpiritZ1” Ding-yu, and Zhang “Akeman” Haoran. DRG’s 2025 results highlight playoff resilience, roster stability, and the ability to achieve strong results against top regional competition despite limited international exposure.

16. MIBR (14.60)

MIBR qualified as VCT Americas’ fourth seed, marking their first appearance at Champions. The roster underwent major changes in 2025, including additions of Erick “aspas” Santos, Eduardo “xenom” Soeiro, and Gabriel “cortezia” Cortez alongside Arthur “artzin” Araujo and Andrew “Verno” Maust. Early 2025 results included third-place finishes at Kickoff and Stage 1, with Stage 2 proving less successful.

Map pool challenges exist as Icebox, Split, and Pearl are unavailable, while Abyss (75% WR), Corrode (100%), and Haven (43%) remain playable. aspas is the statistical leader with 239.2 ACS, 1.32 K:D, 154.3 damage per round, and 0.85 kills per round. MIBR’s results in 2025 demonstrate moderate regional success, podium finishes, and sufficient circuit points to achieve their first-ever Champions qualification, providing international experience for a largely new roster.