The Valorant Champions Tour is the ultimate goal for any professional tier 2 and tier 3 teams from around the world, competing for the title of the best in Valorant. The European region traditionally stands out with talented and motivated teams that demonstrate a high level of play and strategic thinking. Below, we'll look at teams from various European Challengers leagues that have a good chance of qualifying for the Ascension tournament and securing the main prize - a slot in the VCT.
VALORANT Challengers Leagues
It's worth noting that in Europe, the VALORANT Challengers Leagues consist of nine different leagues. Six of these cover individual countries such as Italy, Spain, Portugal, and others. Additionally, there are three leagues representing certain parts of the European region, including North and East, as well as an additional league for African countries - MENA. Throughout the season, teams in each of these leagues compete for one slot in the Ascension tournament and another in the EMEA Ascension Play-In.
Ultimately, ten teams participate in the Ascension tournament: one from each Challengers league and another from the EMEA Ascension Play-In tournament. Only one of these teams gets a partnership with Riot Games for the next two years, which allows them to participate in the Valorant Champions Tour tournaments in the European region. This partnership gives the team access to their first international tournaments, including the Valorant Champions (world championship).
The Best Teams from the European Region in VCL
Apeks
Apeks was the top team of the previous VCL Europe season, losing no more than three matches throughout the season. One of these losses was particularly painful—in the grand final of the Ascension tournament against Gentle Mates. Despite this setback and their impressive performance, the team is forced to start from scratch this season. However, they have managed quite well, even though the team was completely rebuilt from the ground up. Most players from that unbeatable 2023 lineup, despite the failure, received invitations to VCT teams and readily accepted these offers.
Currently, Apeks is the top team in the VALORANT Challengers 2024 Northern Europe. However, it should be noted that this region is considered one of the weakest, as evidenced by the composition of participants. Despite this, Apeks won the championship in the first split without losing a single match and are confidently heading to their second consecutive Ascension tournament. It will be interesting to see if they can repeat last year's success with a completely different lineup.
KPI Gaming
KPI Gaming from the Spanish region has taken an unusual approach to building a strong team in VALORANT Challengers 2024 Spain, assembling a lineup without any representatives from this country. This practice is quite common in this league, but KPI Gaming is currently showing the best results. Having won the first split, albeit not without difficulties, they have a great chance of receiving a direct invitation to Ascension and qualifying for the VCT.
Mandatory
Mandatory is the only team currently competing in VALORANT Challengers 2024 France with an entirely French lineup. Perhaps the absence of a language barrier is why the team is showing some of the best results. They are among the leaders of the league and have the potential to repeat the success of their compatriots Gentle Mates, who were the first players to make it to the VCT through the Challengers League.
CGN Esports
CGN Esports continues to dominate in VALORANT Challengers 2024 DACH, as they did in the previous season, despite the emergence of a strong competitor in the form of the highly combative MOUZ lineup. The team managed to win the first split of the German league and is confidently heading to their second consecutive Ascension tournament. The previous Ascension was not very successful for them, as the team finished in 7th-8th place, earning $4,500. However, thanks to the growth of the German scene, if the team makes it to Ascension again, they can show a more successful result.
Papara SuperMassive
The Turkish region currently looks extremely combative, with a large number of new players, teams, and organizations, all aiming for one goal—to make it to the VCT. It's hard to highlight a single team, but Papara SuperMassive deserves attention. They were the winners of the first split and have started the second split well. The team leads the table for VCL TR Points. They have every chance to show a better result for the Turkish region this season than Digital Athletics did last year. This has been made possible by a well-assembled lineup of experienced players who have competed in the VCT and young promising professionals.
GoNext Esports
Since the arrival of world champion Aleksander "zeek" Zygmunt, GoNext Esports has significantly improved their game, transforming from a mid-level team to the champions of VALORANT Challengers 2024 East: Surge Split 1 and one of the main contenders for a slot in Ascension. However, it is also worth noting two other teams that are hot on their heels and have every chance to take this valuable ticket from them, namely Diamant Esports and Chipi Chapa's. Meanwhile, the fortunes of the undisputed 2023 champion, team Acend, are not going well—they failed to even reach the final stage of the first split.
Team Falcons
Last year and this year, Team Falcons have had no competitors in the MENA region, so they tear their opponents apart without giving them any chance. The first split ended with their victory, and the second started so successfully that the team guaranteed themselves a playoff spot even before the end of the group stage of the tournament.
Dsyre
Dsyre – the Italian monster has a streak of three championships in a row in VALORANT Challengers Italy out of four tournaments; the fourth tournament ended with a second-place finish. The core of the team has remained unchanged for a long time, allowing them to consistently demonstrate a high level of play in Italy. However, last year's attempt to make it to the VCT ended with the last place in the Ascension tournament. However, strengthening the team with two new players has benefited them, and now they have every chance to show a better result than in 2023.
SAW
The Portuguese scene also has an obvious leader - SAW, which is very likely to qualify for Ascension for the second consecutive time. The almost completely renewed lineup looks more powerful than the previous one, which finished the season in fourth place, losing to the champions and slot holders - Gentle Mates.
For every team in the Challengers League, making it to the VCT is a dream that comes true for only one team each season out of over 70 teams. The season lasts almost a year, no matter how close you were to winning in the previous season, a new one starts from scratch. Perhaps we are mistaken, and none of these teams will make it to the VCT this season, as Valorant is a new discipline, and a team can easily go from an underdog at the end of the season to the main championship contender.
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