Riot Games has revealed when VCT EMEA Stage 1 starts and what the format will be as Valorant teams try to qualify for Valorant Masters London.
The first international Valorant tournament of the year recently concluded as Nongshim RedForce won Masters Santiago after a historic run. Meanwhile, EMEA teams struggled with none of the region’s representatives making the top four.
Now, there’s a quick break before regional play returns next month. Here is everything you need to know about VCT EMEA Stage 1.
When is VCT EMEA Stage 1?
VCT EMEA Stage 1 will kick off on Wednesday, April 1, with the Group Stages lasting five weeks and concluding on May 1.
The tournament will start with Fnatic facing the league’s new team, Eternal Fire, who’ve replaced the kicked ULF Esports in VCT EMEA.
After a one-week break, the Playoffs will then get underway on May 7 and eventually conclude with the Grand Final on May 17.
Three teams will qualify to represent EMEA on home soil at Valorant Masters London, with the three seeds being decided on May 3, May 4, and May 10.
What Is the Format for VCT EMEA Stage 1?
The 12 VCT EMEA teams will initially be divided into two groups of six, labelled Alpha and Omega to coincide with the game’s current lore event.
Every team will face all of their fellow group members in a single round robin, featuring five best-of-threes for each team across five weeks in total.
The bottom two teams in each group will be eliminated immediately at the end of the Regular Season and will not advance to Playoffs.
Meanwhile, the top four teams from each group – eight teams in total – will qualify for the Playoffs and will be in with a chance of qualifying for Masters London.
Regular Season performance will determine teams’ seeding and starting position in the Playoffs’ double-elimination bracket.
The top team from each group will automatically earn a bye into the second round of the Upper Bracket, while the second and third-place teams will face off in the first round.
The fourth seeds will not have the advantage of double elimination as they will start in the Lower Bracket, where a loss will mean elimination.
All Playoff matches will be best-of-three series, apart from the Lower Bracket Final and Stage Final, which will be best of fives.
Who do you think will win VCT EMEA Stage 1? Share your predictions with us on the Insider Gaming Discord.
There have already been a few roster changes with Karmine Corp announcing the return of Marshall ‘N4RRATE’ Massey.
