VCT 2025 Schedule: Teams, dates, and more

The 2025 VALORANT Esports season starts in January, and it's packed with more teams and bigger events than ever before. As teams from EMEA, China, Pacific, and the Americas gear up, fans are in for some thrilling games. The new changes mean every match counts and the excitement is just getting started. Riot Games recently introduced all the details about the upcoming VALORANT season and we gathered all the information below!

VCT 2025 format explained

This year, the VALORANT Esports season brings some big changes to make the competition even better. Now, each league has 12 teams, which allows for a double-elimination format from the start. This means each team has two chances to stay in the competition, making the matches more exciting and giving every team a fair shot at proving themselves.

The season now lasts from January to early October. This longer period helps manage the game schedule better, reducing stress for the teams and players and increasing enjoyment for the fans. Each team plays at least 12 matches during the season, but they can play up to 23 matches if they do well and advance through playoffs and global events. More matches mean more VALORANT action for fans to watch.

Here’s a breakdown of the leagues and where they're based:

• Americas League: This league includes teams from both North and South America and operates out of the Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles, California, USA.
• China League: The Chinese league only teams from Mainland China and is based in the VCT CN Arena in Shanghai.
• EMEA League: EMEA covers Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa and is based in the Riot Games Arena in Berlin, Germany.
• Pacific League: This league covers Asia and Oceania outside of Mainland China and West Asia, with its base at the COEX Artium in Seoul, South Korea.

VCT 2025 schedule and dates

The action kicks off with the International League tournaments, which start on January 11 and continue until February 9. Here's when each region begins its competition:

• VCT EMEA: January 15
• VCT CN: January 11
• VCT Americas: January 16
• VCT Pacific: January 18

After these initial tournaments, the leagues move into their first major stage. Each league undergoes two stages of competition:

• Stage 1: Includes a group stage and playoffs, with the top three teams from each league's playoffs qualifying for Masters Toronto.
• Stage 2: Similar structure but does not carry over records from Stage 1. The top four teams from this stage's playoffs qualify for the Champions event, along with two teams selected based on Championship Points.

The first stage leads up to the Masters Toronto event. This is where teams start to stand out based on their performances. Following this, the competition heats up with the second stage of league play and another round of playoffs, all leading up to the final event in Paris.

VCT 2025 teams for each region

Here are all the teams that will participate in VCT 2025:

VCT Americas

• 100 Thieves
• Cloud9
• Evil Geniuses
• FURIA
• KRÜ Esports
• Leviatán
• LOUD
• mibr
• NRG
• Sentinels
• G2 Esports
• 2GAME Esports

VCT EMEA

• BBL Esports
• Fnatic
• FUT Esports
• GIANTX
• Karmine Corp
• KOI
• Natus Vincere
• Team Heretics
• Team Liquid
• Team Vitality
• Gentle Mates
• Apeks

VCT Pacific

• DetonatioN FocusMe
• DRX
• Gen.G Esports
• Global Esports
• Paper Rex
• Rex Regum Qeon
• T1
• ZETA DIVISION
• Sin Prisa Gaming
• BOOM Esports
• Talon Esports
• Team Secret

VCT China

• All Gamers
• Bilibili Gaming
• EDward Gaming
• FunPlus Phoenix
• JD Gaming
• Nova Esports
• Titan Esports Club
• Trace Esports
• TYLOO
• Wolves Esports
• Dragon Ranger Gaming
• XLG Esports

VCT 2025 qualification and playoffs

The system for earning points during the season has changed to keep every match exciting and important. Teams now earn one point for each regular season win. In major events like the Kickoff and Playoffs, the top four teams earn points, and in the Masters events, the top six teams get points. This new point system means that every part of the season is crucial for the teams wanting to advance.

Teams can qualify for the Champions event through two main routes: by performing well in the Stage 2 playoffs or by accumulating enough Championship Points throughout the season. This gives more teams a fair chance to make it to the finals based on their overall performance.

The playoffs have expanded to include eight teams in a double-elimination format. This setup keeps more teams in the competition longer, making the season more thrilling and giving fans more games to enjoy.

VCT 2025 global events

The format for the global events remains similar to last year, but with some updates to keep things interesting:

Masters Bangkok

This event starts with an 8-team Swiss stage, where teams compete in a series of matches to qualify for the next round. It then moves to a 4-team double-elimination playoff, where the tension really ramps up.

Masters Toronto

This also starts with an 8-team Swiss stage. The top seed from each league gets a pass to skip the first round. The event then proceeds to an 8-team double-elimination playoff, determining who moves forward.

Champions Paris

The final showdown starts with a group stage that includes four groups of four teams. This leads to an 8-team double-elimination playoff to decide the world champion of VCT 2025.

VCT 2025 Ascension and Challenger leagues format

Teams coming from the Ascension tournaments face new rules this year. Teams finishing 9th–12th need to either defend their spot or will be relegated, depending on their rankings. Those that do well and finish in the top 4 earn a spot for the next season. This keeps the competition tough and ensures only the best teams make it through.

The Challenger Leagues support partner teams and foster upcoming talents across 15 minor regional leagues. These leagues are crucial for building skills and advancing to higher levels of competition.

With 48 teams competing in three major international events, VCT 2025 is set to be a standout year in VALORANT Esports. The new format and extended season promise more action and more thrilling matches for fans around the world.