VALORANT Champions in Paris (12 September–5 October) will see 16 teams compete in the final, intense stage of the VCT 2025 season. Beyond mechanics and mid-round calling, the outcome of this tournament will be determined by the veto. The map pool features seven battlegrounds — Abyss, Ascent, Bind, Corrode, Haven, Lotus and Sunset — with Icebox being rotated out. Two of these, Abyss and Corrode, will have a significant influence: many competitors have limited experience of them, creating an advantage for teams that have prepared properly and putting pressure on those that haven't.

What about VCT Americas?

G2 Esports (#1)

G2’s foundation for 2025 was built on classic comfort. Ascent and Haven both achieved a 3–1 record (75%) during their spring window, securing their place at the Masters Toronto tournament. Meanwhile, Fracture (0–1) and Icebox (1–1) were eliminated from the rotation. This makes their preparation for the Champions straightforward: focus on Ascent and Haven, maintain flexibility with Split and Lotus, and increase practice on Abyss and Corrode, which were introduced late and remain underrepresented in G2’s 2025 sample.

NRG (#2)

NRG's performance in the Americas Stage 2 provides clear indications for the Champions pool: they defeated Lotus 13–4 against Sentinels and won Corrode 13–8 on the lower-bracket path. Meanwhile, Bind remained in the mix as a reliable choice, historically a favourable map for them. With Icebox and Fracture gone, NRG’s core strategy remains intact, and they have already proven that Corrode does not faze them in high-pressure matches.

Sentinels (#3)

Sentinels' 2025 officials include a wide range, with Icebox appearing early (two maps, one win, one loss) before the rotation changes and in the later series of the Americas playoffs, where Lotus and Corrode were involved in the opponents' picks. They have demonstrated their ability to navigate vetoes that leave Lotus, Haven, and Ascent available, and they will not be overly reliant on the removed maps. For Paris, the objective is straightforward: stabilise the attack halves on the big three and ensure the Corrode playbooks are effective in the deciding stages.

MIBR (#4)

MIBR’s vetoes in the Americas in 2025 showed clear tendencies: they picked Bind in key series, such as EG vs. NRG in Stage 2, and avoided Corrode in the same matchups. Meanwhile, Lotus became a frequent battleground in the region’s late season. Paris's task is to hone Abyss and Corrode while maintaining Bind as a reliable pick, especially now that Icebox and Fracture are gone.

For the EMEA Teams

Team Liquid (#1)

Liquid concluded EMEA Stage 2 with a clean sweep in the finals, showcasing robust late-season Bind gameplay and precise mid-round execution on the more intense maps. Although there is no full-season percentage for every map at series level, their August run showed that they are comfortable with returning to Bind/Haven/Sunset decisions, and they will be pleased that the pool mirrors what they just lifted the trophy with. Abyss and Corrode remain lower in terms of sample size relative to their bread-and-butter maps, but they have appeared in veto conversations.

GIANTX (#2)

In GIANTX's 2025, there is a real Ascent volume of 9 maps with a 56% win rate, and a willingness to bring Abyss into play (they selected it against Team Heretics in Stage 2). However, they previously relied on maps such as Fracture, which are no longer available. Therefore, the Paris version needs Ascent and Sunset to be successful, and Corrode and Abyss to be more than just veto chess pieces. Their late-August playoff wins suggest that they have found reliable series plans that do not rely on the removed maps.

Fnatic (#3)

In EMEA Stage 1, Fnatic performed well with Lotus (4–1, 80%), and across the 2024–25 period, they achieved outstanding results on Haven (11–2, 85%) — both of which remain central maps at Champions. This makes their objective clear: to keep Lotus and Haven as anchor picks, flex Ascent and Sunset as needed, and finalise Abyss and Corrode for Paris. The removal of Icebox and Fracture trim some of the fringe looks from earlier in the year without affecting their core.

Team Heretics (#4)

Team Heretics' early-season Stage 1 results were consistent — Ascent and Split both ended in 1–1 draws (50%) — but Stage 2 showed that they are willing to pick Haven against top EMEA opponents, executing and capitalising on mid-round opportunities when the veto allows. With Icebox and Fracture gone, Heretics' focus is on strengthening their Abyss and Corrode strategies to complement their Haven and Ascent plans, rather than reinventing their pool.

The Pacific stage

Paper Rex (#1)

Paper Rex's chances of winning the title are boosted by a map pool that has consistently delivered victories in 2025. During VCT Pacific Stage 1, they achieved a 71% win rate on Lotus across seven maps and a 67% win rate on Ascent across three. Notably, they recorded a perfect 2–0 on Icebox during this period, though it is now out of the pool. Haven was their only stumble (0–2 in Stage 1), a mistake they largely avoided later in the season. They will arrive in Paris having played Lotus several times; the big question is how they will perform on Abyss/Corrode once the event begins, as their early-year performances were based on the older pool.

Rex Regum Qeon (#2)

Rex Regum Qeon enter with a battle-tested roster from Pacific Stage 2: they defeated T1 on Haven and Ascent in Lower Round 3, and even secured a victory on Corrode (13–10 against TALON) in the later stages of the playoffs. This is exactly the profile that coaches want in the new rotation — live officials on Corrode and confidence on staple maps — making RRQ one of the region's better-prepared teams for the Paris pool.

T1 (#3)

T1’s early-year snapshot (Kickoff to Bangkok) reveals an uneven distribution of results: Bind won 4–3 (57%), Haven won 2–2 (50%), Split struggled with 1–3 (25%), and Fracture landed at 3–4 (43%). On the upside, their Bangkok title run featured strong Lotus/Ascent series wins, even if the sample size is smaller there. On the downside: Split lagged and remains in the pool. With Icebox and Fracture out of the picture, T1’s Paris strategy focuses on strengthening Split and developing Abyss and Corrode reps based on their dual-Duelist approach.

DRX (#4)

During the Pacific Stage 2 groups, DRX's mid-summer form featured wins on Lotus (13–10), Ascent (13–7) and Bind (14–12), as well as Icebox wins before it rotated out. This versatility translates well to Paris: they have recently logged wins on three core Champions maps and can transition to Abyss/Corrode with their structured defaults.

Chinese Teams from VCT CN

Bilibili Gaming (#1)

BLG's 2025 schedule is mixed: they performed poorly in Haven (3–8, 27%) across 11 officials, but performed better in other areas, including high-stakes series at the Masters in Toronto and the China Stage 2 in the late summer. In practice, this means they are likely to veto Haven and select Lotus, Ascent and Sunset, while Abyss and Corrode are still being considered. They beat Liquid in the opening match in Toronto and challenged the top teams despite the dip in Haven — an important context for their Paris map strategy.

Dragon Ranger Gaming (#2)

DRG come in with a quietly solid Ascent (5–3, 63%) across eight maps in 2025, plus extensive experience of the Chinese league on Bind, Lotus and Sunset. The key Paris storyline is to convert that domestic success into inter-regional wins and ensure that Corrode/Abyss are not just ban magnets. Their run to the China Stage 2 Grand Final in August suggests that the pool is serviceable as it is.

EDward Gaming (#3)

EDward Gaming's map spread in 2025 has been steady rather than spectacular. Haven (9–5, 64%) and Bind (5–3, 63%) stand out as bankable battlegrounds, having been played across 14 and 8 officials, respectively. This profile suits the current pool well, as they have logged significant activity on Haven and Bind, while avoiding the now-removed Icebox and Fracture, which were not central to their year. The late-season focus is on adding reliable looks at Abyss and Corrode without sacrificing the tempo that makes their Haven attacks effective.

Xi Lai Gaming (#4)

XLG's year has been defined by flexibility and experience: they have played many maps across China and at international events. They performed strongly earlier on Fracture (80% across 5), which has now been removed from the pool, while their Pearl volume is also outside the Paris rotation. This means more weight is placed on Ascent, Haven, Lotus and Sunset, where they have also logged significant series volume. Expect the team to focus on these maps and present a well-prepared Corrode strategy from domestic training sessions.

What it means for Paris

Champions Paris will be decided as much in the veto as on the server. With Icebox out and Abyss/Corrode in, the edge belongs to teams that arrive with three-plus comfort maps and real officials on the new pool. Squads that can protect a clear ban, float a second, and still field prepared looks on Abyss or Corrode will set the pace of every series.

Across regions, the pattern is the same: breadth beats spikes. Depth on staples like Ascent/Haven/Lotus/Bind must be paired with fast, disciplined prep on the two newer maps. Watch the first round of group-stage vetoes—those early reveals will tell you who did their homework and who will be playing catch-up in Paris.