The
VCT EMEA Stage 2 Play-Ins came to an end this Sunday with the final teams securing their playoff spots. Few could have predicted that, by the end of the stage, more than half of the region’s VCT teams would already have been eliminated from both the title race and the battle for a place at
VALORANT Champions. Yet that is precisely what happened:
of the four teams that qualified for the playoffs through the Play-In, three came from the VCL, while seven of the eight VCT representatives are now out of the competition.
The most striking statistic is that, across all matches between Tier 1 and Tier 2 teams, the latter have won 83% of the time. The only victories for VCT teams over VCL opposition came courtesy of GIANTX against Eintracht Frankfurt Esports and Eternal Fire against Joblife. FUT Esports are the only VCT team to live up to expectations in the competition, securing a place in the playoffs’ upper bracket.
Big names eliminated
Alongside Frankfurt and Fire Flux Esports, who qualified through the lower bracket on Sunday, Enterprise Esports, the strongest Tier 2 team across the year, also put together a convincing run to secure their place through the upper bracket. Conversely, after struggling throughout the season, NAVI, GIANTX, and PCIFIC Esports have finally seen their campaigns come to an end, each exiting through the lower bracket. Despite making numerous changes in an attempt to salvage their season, Gentle Mates were eliminated without winning a single map against two VCL teams.
Two of the region’s historic organizations,
Team Heretics and Fnatic, have also been eliminated. The Spanish side, who won Stage 1, retain a slim chance of qualifying for Champions through Championship points depending on the results of the other teams. Eternal Fire, meanwhile, fell short of qualification in their final deciding match against SGE.
A few matches away from the final
Following Sunday’s final matches, the playoff bracket was drawn. Enterprise Esports, who qualified through the upper bracket, will face Team Vitality in their opening match. The winner will take on Karmine Corp, while the loser will drop into a matchup against Fire Flux Esports. On the other side of the bracket, FUT Esports will face Team Liquid, with the winner taking on BBL Esports and the loser facing SGE.
The second week of the competition will take place in Barcelona, where the remaining four teams will battle for a place in the final. The grand final is scheduled for August 30 at the Olimpic Arena.
