Months of regional and international play have led to the highly anticipated VALORANT Champions 2022 tournament. This year’s world championship is expected to have one of the largest viewerships yet and will take place in Istanbul, Turkey, in front of a live crowd for the entire duration of playoffs.
The playoff format has also been expanded from single-elimination to double-elimination, adding more excitement to the high-stakes action. Before the playoffs, the 16 attending teams will compete in group stages. They will be split into groups of four and face each other in double-elimination brackets. The top two teams from each group will advance to the playoffs.
Group A features Paper Rex, EDward Gaming, Leviatan, and Team Liquid. Paper Rex and Team Liquid have performed exceptionally well in previous Masters events this year and have a strong roster. However, the inclusion of EDward Gaming as the first Chinese team in an international VCT tournament adds an element of surprise. Leviatan has also shown great resilience and has the potential to upset any team in this group.
Group B consists of OpTic, BOOM, ZETA, and LOUD. OpTic and LOUD have built a fierce rivalry since their encounter at Masters One in April. This battle between the two teams promises to be intense. ZETA Division cannot be underestimated, and BOOM Esports, although relatively new to the international stage, has the potential to surprise everyone.
Group C showcases FPX, KRU, XSET, and XERXIA. FPX, the champions of Copenhagen, are the favorites to advance from this group. However, KRU, XSET, and XERXIA have a history of making games difficult for their opponents, and any team in this group can cause upsets.
Group D features DRX, FURIA, Fnatic, and 100T. These teams have had mixed performances throughout the year, making them the dark horses of the tournament. 100 Thieves, in particular, has shown significant improvement and has a good chance of making it out of Group D if they can continue to perform as a unit.
Overall, the VALORANT Champions 2022 tournament promises to be a thrilling display of skill and competition. Fans can expect intense matches and potential upsets as the teams battle it out for the ultimate title.
VALORANT Champions 2022, tournament, playoffs, group stage, teams, roster, favorites, upsets, skill, competition.