The Future of the VCT: Changes to Challengers and the Path to Pro
The Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) in 2023 is set to undergo significant changes that will transform the competitive landscape for players and fans. With the addition of a new league and an in-game tournament feature, Riot Games is introducing a new format that players must navigate to reach the top of the Valorant competitive scene.
Challengers, the stepping stone to the international league, will see structural differences starting from 2023 and beyond. The revamped path-to-pro formula unveiled by Valorant on August 16 outlines the new process for non-partnered teams to qualify for Challengers and eventually make it to the international league.
In this new formula, players have two paths to qualify for Challengers. They can either compete in the in-game tournament integrated with VCT or go through the open qualifier. From there, successful teams will need to advance to Challengers Ascension, a league where teams from three regions – the Americas, EMEA, and the Pacific – will battle for the top spot and a promotion to the international league for a two-year period.
Next year, a total of 21 Challengers leagues will operate globally, with the Americas, EMEA, and the Pacific serving as the primary regions encompassing multiple leagues in each.
Breaking Down the VCT Challengers Leagues
Within these three larger regions, smaller leagues will be established to play in the Challengers tournaments. The Americas will have four leagues, EMEA will host seven, and the Pacific region will consist of ten leagues.
Americas
- NA
- LATAM North
- Brazil
- LATAM South
EMEA
- Northern Europe
- Southern Europe (Spain, Italy, and Portugal)
- France and Benelux
- Dach (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland)
- Turkey
- Eastern Europe
- MENA
Pacific
- South Asia (includes India)
- Thailand
- Vietnam
- Malaysia and Singapore
- Korea
- Japan
- Taiwan and Hong Kong
- Philippines
- Indonesia
- Oceania
The biggest Challengers leagues will have dedicated broadcast times that won’t clash with the larger VCT leagues. These leagues will feature open qualifiers, followed by two splits with multi-week regular season play. The top teams from each league will then progress to Challengers Ascension.
Specific details regarding the number of teams advancing and the league dates have not yet been revealed. Fans can expect more information later in the year, possibly around the time of Champions 2022. Although sources suggest that the international league will begin in mid-February 2023, Riot Games has yet to confirm an official start time.