VALORANT: T1 and RRQ secure Champions Paris spots

After the opening week of the Stage 2 Playoffs in the VCT Pacific, both T1 and RRQ secured their spots at the VALORANT Champions Paris. By defeating Nongshim RedForce and DRX respectively on Saturday, August 16, the two organizations moved forward into the lower bracket, where they faced off against each other the very next day.

Crowned Masters Bangkok champions after their stunning upset over G2 Esports in the grand final of the first international event of 2025, T1 seemed destined for another dominant run. Following that victory and a strong runner-up finish at the Pacific Kickoff, the Korean organization hit a rough patch. They struggled during Stage 1, finishing mid-table, and ultimately missed out on qualifying for the Esports World Cup. Stage 2, however, marked a return to form. Showing much greater consistency, T1 earned enough circuit points to officially lock their qualification for Champions Paris. After advancing from groups with a 3-2 record, they opened playoffs with a win against RRQ, fell to Paper Rex, and then bounced back by eliminating Nongshim.

The following day, RRQ had their revenge. The Indonesian squad narrowly edged out T1 in a tight 2-1 series, booking their ticket to the lower bracket final against TALON next week, where a grand final spot will be on the line. Importantly, RRQ had already punched their ticket to Champions Paris thanks to their 2-0 victory over DRX earlier in the bracket. Long considered a mid-table team since the launch of the VCT, Rex Regum Qeon finally made their breakthrough in Stage 1 by finishing first overall and qualifying for their very first international event at Masters Toronto. With the points secured there and now guaranteed at least a top-three finish in Stage 2, RRQ will be heading to France this September for the World Championship.

Alongside T1 and RRQ, Paper Rex had already secured qualification for Champions, meaning that only one final slot remains for the Pacific region. That final spot will be decided between TALON, still alive in Stage 2, and DRX. After being knocked out by RRQ, DRX’s fate now depends entirely on the lower bracket final between TALON and RRQ. Should TALON win, the Thai roster will qualify directly for Paris. However, if they fall short, DRX would take the last Pacific spot thanks to the circuit points they accumulated throughout the 2025 season.