Teams in North America Battle for Spots in VALORANT Champions Tour
The VALORANT Champions Tour is heating up in North America as teams compete in the Stage Three: Challengers One qualifiers. With surprises, upsets, and close calls, several teams are now fighting for their chance to make it to the next Challengers event and possibly the Masters event in Berlin. However, with only four spots available, some teams will see their VCT run come to an early end. Among the contenders are well-known teams like TSM, FaZe Clan, T1, and Luminosity, as well as newcomers like Andbox, Cloud9 Blue, NRG, Immortals, and DarkZero.
Let’s take a look at the winners and losers from the Challengers One event.
Winners: XSET
XSET, a consistent presence in previous Challengers events, achieved a major victory in the Challengers One upper bracket. They shocked everyone by defeating the top team Sentinels on a map that Sentinels hadn’t lost in 14 consecutive attempts. XSET also secured a win against 100 Thieves and showcased their competitive spirit in the grand finals, despite losing the rematch series. The Challengers playoffs will be their greatest test yet.
Losers: TSM
TSM’s VCT campaign has been disappointing, with no VCT points and only two Challenger event appearances after several top teams had already qualified. With just one opportunity left, they made a roster change by moving drone to the bench. However, they still lack a fifth player, and falling short again could result in major changes for the team.
Winners: Kansas City Pioneers
The Kansas City Pioneers, a lesser-known team, proved their worth by defeating Immortals in the open qualifier and making it to Challengers One. They played competitively against top teams like Sentinels and Envy, and now they are two wins away from the Challengers playoffs. This achievement could earn them enough VCT points to qualify for the Last Chance qualifier.
Losers: FaZe Clan
FaZe Clan’s performance in Stage Two and Stage Three has been a letdown compared to their success in Stage One. While their Stage Two losses to Version1 and DarkZero are understandable, they need to step up their game in the last open qualifier to secure a spot in Challengers Two. Their Stage One points should be enough for the Last Chance Qualifier, but they will have a lot of time without proper testing.
As the VALORANT Champions Tour continues, these teams will battle it out for their chance at success. Stay tuned for more esports news and analysis on our YouTube channel.