A few weeks after Paper Rex’s triumph at Masters Toronto, the four International VALORANT Leagues are back for Stage 2, with one clear objective for all participants: qualify for Champions 2025. The 48 Riot Games-partnered organizations from around the globe will now face off within their respective regions, all hoping to secure a spot in Paris this September and compete for the title of World Champion.

The VCT China was the first league to return, kicking off on July 3 — and it started with a surprise. Third-place finishers at Masters, Wolves Esports, were defeated by FunPlus Phoenix in the opening match. Of course, nothing is lost after a single loss, and we’ll have to wait until August 24 to know which four Chinese teams will head to France. As a reminder, each major region (EMEA, Pacific, Americas, and China) will send four teams to Champions: the top two directly from Stage 2 results, and the other two based on Championship Points accumulated throughout the year.

Who's going to Paris

Despite a more challenging season, fans still expect to see EDward Gaming, the reigning Champions, in France — although their recent performances, especially internationally, have raised questions about their current form. Alongside XLG, Bilibili, and Wolves, EDG remains among the top contenders to qualify for the VALORANT World Finals.

Staying in Asia, the VCT Pacific resumed on July 15 and is expected to crown its champion barely 10 days before Champions Paris. Paper Rex and T1, following their respective victories at Masters Toronto and Bangkok, are the two teams with the most points — but they’re far from guaranteed a spot at the World Championship. They’re closely trailed by RRQ, Gen.G, and DRX, all of whom had strong performances in Stage 1.

In the Americas, we already know the first team qualified for Paris: G2 Esports. After finishing first in both the Kickoff and Stage 1 events, and performing well at both of this year’s LANs, they head into Stage 2 — which begins on July 18 — as heavy favourites. To find out who will join the Samurais at Champions, we’ll likely have to wait until early September, as the final phase schedule hasn’t been officially announced yet. Behind G2, Sentinels are the only other true favorite, thanks to back-to-back runner-up finishes in the Kickoff and Stage 1.

In the EMEA region, it’s Fnatic who currently lead the race, despite a lackluster first half of the season. Returning to the server on Wednesday, July 16, there is no confirmed end date yet for the league — and with it, no final word on who will represent Europe in Paris. Behind favourites FNC, Team Heretics (2024 World Championship runner-up), Team Liquid, and Team Vitality are currently best positioned in the points standings.

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