The competitive season has begun across all four regions, with Europe leading the way. Yesterday marked the conclusion of the first day of the playoffs stage at VCT 2025: EMEA Kickoff, featuring two matches whose results are detailed below.

BBL Esports vs GIANTX

The first match saw a clash between GIANTX and BBL Esports, with many expecting GIANTX to prevail due to roster adjustments in the Turkish squad. However, even with an incomplete roster, the Turkish team managed to secure a victory, largely thanks to the outstanding performance of sociablEE. The newcomer frequently saved the team and even managed to single-handedly eliminate all five opponents in some rounds. This remarkable effort led to BBL’s 2-1 triumph.

NAVI vs Karmine Corp

The second match featured a showdown between the renowned Ukrainian organization NAVI and the equally prominent French team Karmine Corp. The match promised excitement, and it delivered. Both teams had made significant roster changes before the season started, making it hard to predict a favorite. In the end, KC claimed a hard-fought 2-1 victory, sending NAVI to the lower bracket.

As a result, Karmine Corp and BBL Esports advanced to the upper bracket quarterfinals, where they will compete against new opponents tomorrow. Meanwhile, NAVI and GIANTX have dropped to the lower bracket and will fight for survival on January 23 and 24.

VCT 2025 EMEA Kickoff is taking place from January 15 to February 9 in a LAN format at the Riot Games arena. Twelve partner teams from the VCT program are competing for two invitations to Masters Bangkok and critical EMEA Points, which are essential for qualifying for the World Championship.