VCT EMEA Stage 2 Finals will be host in Barcelona

The VCT EMEA Stage 2 Finals will change venue but will still take place in Spain. Initially scheduled for Madrid, Riot Games announced on Thursday that the event’s finals will instead be held in Barcelona. The event will take place at the Olímpic Arena in Badalona (Barcelona province) from August 28 to 30. While Riot had originally confirmed Madrid as the host city, several adjustments were made to provide the best possible experience.

To preserve the Spanish atmosphere, the finals have been relocated to Barcelona, a city with extensive experience in hosting major events. The Olímpic Arena will also host the LEC Versus Finals for League of Legends from February 27 to March 1. This marks the first time in history that a VCT EMEA VALORANT event will be held outside of Berlin. Until now, all regular-season splits and playoffs had taken place in the German capital, and, much like the roadshows seen in League of Legends, Riot Games is seeking to offer European fans a broader range of live-event experiences.

"Bringing a major live event to fans has been a long-term focus for the team, so we’re really excited to host the Stage 2 Finals in Spain later this year," explained Daniel Ringland, Head of VALORANT Esports, EMEA. "The Spanish VALORANT community is known for its passion and energy, and we can’t wait to see that atmosphere elevate one of the biggest moments of the VALORANT EMEA calendar year."

It is also worth noting that one of the major changes this season is that the top VCL teams will now have the opportunity to compete in the VCT EMEA playoffs and qualify for VALORANT Champions. As a result, some of them could appear during the final weekend of competition in Barcelona.