The competitive season of the Valorant Champions Tour 2024 concluded with the end of the World Championship, where the unexpectedly strongest team for the upcoming year was China’s EDward Gaming. Although the Valorant esports scene has now entered the off-season, where teams will change their rosters and participate in smaller events, Riot Games is actively preparing for the new season. The upcoming Valorant Champions Tour 2025 has already received its schedule, tournament locations, and rule changes, but not all viewers are aware of them. So today, the Bo3 editorial team has prepared an article for you, where we will share all the known details about the upcoming VCT 2025.
VCT 2025 Kickoff
As with this year, the competitive season will start with regional Kickoff events in each of the four competitive regions: Americas, Pacific, China, and EMEA. However, there will be some changes in 2025, the first of which is that the 2024 off-season will be shortened, and the Kickoff series tournaments will start in January, unlike February as in the current year. Additionally, instead of 11 teams, 12 teams will participate in the tournaments, as each region will include the winner of the Tier-2 Ascension 2024 tournament, who will receive a partnership slot. Moreover, all tournaments will now start and end on the same designated day, regardless of the region. The schedule for the events is as follows:
VCT 2025: EMEA Kickoff
- Date: January 1 to February 1, 2025
- Location: Berlin, Riot Games Arena
- Teams: 12
VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff
- Date: January 1 to February 1, 2025
- Location: Los Angeles, Riot Games Arena
- Teams: 12
VCT 2025: Pacific Kickoff
- Date: January 1 to February 1, 2025
- Location: Seoul, COEX Artium
- Teams: 12
VCT 2025: China Kickoff
- Date: January 1 to February 1, 2025
- Location: Shanghai, Valo Arena
- Teams: 12
In each region, the teams will compete in a Double-Elimination format, where participants are eliminated after two losses. There is likely to be no prize money for these events, but teams will be competing for 2 slots at the Masters Bangkok and regional points.
Masters Bangkok
As mentioned above, the teams will compete for 2 slots at the first Masters of 2025, which will be held in Thailand’s capital, Bangkok. Although details about the tournament are scarce, we can highlight the following key information:
- Date: February 1 to March 1, 2025
- Location: Bangkok, arena unknown
- Teams: 8
- Prize pool: Approximately $500,000 and 3 VCT Points
As it stands, the only uncertainty is the prize pool for the tournament, but it can be assumed to be around $500,000. The event will be smaller in scale compared to the second Masters, with only 8 teams participating, while the next tournament will feature 12 teams. Moreover, the 2024 equivalent event, Masters Madrid, also had a prize pool of $500,000. The number of VCT Points to be awarded remains unknown, but based on last year, it is likely that 3 points will be awarded to the winning team.
VCT 2025: Stage 1 and Stage 2
After the first Masters tournament, the regular season will begin in each of the four competitive regions: Americas, Pacific, China, and EMEA. As in previous years, the season will be divided into two stages: Stage 1 and Stage 2. Each stage will feature 12 partner teams from their respective regions. Details about both stages are still unknown, but as usual, Stage 1 will serve as a qualifier for the second Masters, while Stage 2 will lead to the World Championship. The dates for these tournaments are yet to be confirmed, but Stage 1 is tentatively expected to take place between March and May, and Stage 2 between July and August. The prize pool remains undisclosed, but in each region, points will be awarded, which are necessary to qualify for the World Championship.
Masters Toronto
The second major tournament of 2025 is Masters Toronto, which will be held in Canada’s largest city. Key details include:
- Date: Starts June 1
- Location: Toronto, arena unknown
- Teams: 12
- Prize pool: Approximately $1,000,000 and 3 VCT Points
Although the exact date is uncertain, if the tournament starts in June, it will likely end either within the same month or at the beginning of July 2025. The tournament will feature 12 teams—3 from each competitive region—that finished in the top three positions during Stage 1 in their region. The prize pool is expected to be around $1,000,000, considering this is a major Masters event for 12 teams, and a similar amount was awarded last year. The same assumption applies to the VCT Points, which will likely be awarded only to the tournament’s winning team.
Valorant Champions 2025
The competitive season of 2025 concludes with the main event—Valorant Champions 2025. The World Championship will bring together the best teams from each competitive region, and here are the known details about the event:
- Date: September 1 to October 1
- Location: Paris, arena unknown
- Teams: 16
- Prize pool: Approximately $2,250,000
The World Championship will feature 16 teams, with 4 from each competitive region. Out of the four teams, 3 will qualify based on their placement in Stage 2, while the fourth team will qualify by earning the most VCT Points throughout the season. The premier event of the year promises to showcase incredible spectacles. During the event, Riot Games will unveil the new Champions Collection, a new agent or map, and much more. While the prize pool has not yet been disclosed, based on 2023 and 2024, it is likely to remain unchanged.
Information from Riot
All this information has been gathered from various sources, as well as an official video from Riot Games. On the organization’s YouTube channel dedicated to Valorant, an announcement was made featuring esports director Leo Faria. He explained what to expect in 2025, so you can watch the video yourself to find more details.
Conclusion
After reading our article, you now know what to expect from the Valorant Champions Tour 2025 and which tournaments will be held during the season. Keep in mind that although there is still plenty of time before the start, and Riot may change some details, the overall structure will remain the same. The season will be divided into regular competitions, 2 Masters tournaments, and Valorant Champions 2025. Let us know in the comments what you’d like to see in the coming year.
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