All Eyes on EMEA Region for VALORANT Champions Tour 2022
The EMEA region is at the center of attention in this year’s VALORANT Champions Tour. Acend’s victory over Gambit in the grand finals last year made them the first-ever world champions of VALORANT, and Europe is ready to build on that success.
In the new year, the tournament has introduced a new format where 12 teams compete in a round-robin group stage to determine their seeding for the playoffs. Unlike in North America, finishing at the bottom of the group means relegation to a Promotion Tournament, where teams must fight to earn their spot back. With the first week of matches concluded, we have ranked all 12 teams competing in EMEA VCT 2022 Challengers One.
EMEA VCT 2022 Challengers One Rankings
Here are the rankings for EMEA VCT 2022 Challengers One after the first week:
| Rank | Team | Rank change |
| 1 | Acend | – |
| 2 | Gambit Esports | – |
| 3 | Fnatic | – |
| 4 | Team Liquid | – |
| 5 | Guild Esports | – |
| 6 | G2 Esports | – |
| 7 | Natus Vincere | – |
| 8 | FunPlus Phoenix | – |
| 9 | SuperMassive Blaze | – |
| 10 | BIG | – |
| 11 | LDN UTD | – |
| 12 | BBL Esports | – |
Relegation Risks: LDN UTD and BBL
LDN UTD and BBL face the risk of relegation after suffering defeats in the first week. LDN UTD needs another player to step up alongside Michał “MOLSI” Łącki, while BBL struggled on the attack side despite winning three of four pistol rounds. Both teams will have to step up their game in the coming weeks.
Plenty to Prove: Na’Vi, FPX, SMB, BIG
Na’Vi, FPX, SMB, and BIG are not yet in danger of relegation but cannot afford to be complacent. Na’Vi showed their dominance with a strong performance against LDN UTD, while FPX narrowly edged out BIG in a close matchup. SMB faced a tough challenge against Acend, but their performance showed promise.
Contenders: Fnatic, Liquid, Guild, and G2
Fnatic, Liquid, Guild, and G2 are the contenders to watch out for. Fnatic emerged victorious over G2 in a thrilling match, while the new-look Guild roster showcased their potential. Liquid faced a tough opponent in Gambit and suffered a loss, but they still have the skills to compete.
Leaders of the Pack: Acend and Gambit
Acend and Gambit, the two teams that battled it out in last year’s grand finals, continue to impress. Gambit comfortably defeated Liquid, with Chronicle delivering a standout performance. Acend had a close call against SMB but dominated Bind, thanks to cNed’s stellar play as Sage.
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