VCT Americas Kickoff at risk due to California wildfires

As excitement for the start of the new VCT Season continues to grow, the Americas runs the risk of falling behind in schedule to their sister leagues as wildfires continue to run rampant in Los Angeles. With all matches for the VCT 2025 - Americas Kickoff expected to take place at the Riot Games Arena in LA, potential reasons to call off the start of the league until further notice are plenty.

Wildfires may affect the VCT Kickoff event

The wildfires, which have been affecting the state of California for several days running now, continue to grow at unprecedented rates. The unpredictable nature of the fires and their surrounding circumstances mean that these could well start heading towards the Riot Games Arena in the Santa Monica area of Los Angeles at a moment’s notice. As things stand, the stage for the VCT Americas stands safe of the wildfires, though certainly not by any great distance.

The risk of seeing the arena affected by the fires is not the only thing to consider, however. A league as important as the VCT Americas requires a large number of people for operations to run smoothly. Naturally, most of the people responsible for running the league are based in Los Angeles, meaning several of these may already have found their homes directly affected by the fire.

According to numerous reports, such as one made by the LA Times, more than 9,000 homes have already been damaged or destroyed by the California wildfires, with that number expected to continue to rise.

Head of VALORANT Esports speaks out

Leo Faria, Global Head of VALORANT Esports at Riot Games, made the following statement on X (Twitter) regarding the risk the VCT Americas Kickoff runs in regard to these wildfires:

The past 48 hours have been incredibly devastating and heartbreaking here in LA. We’re doing everything we can to support the hundreds of Rioters, production crew, pro teams and staff involved in the VCT. As of now, the Americas kickoff is still a go for next week, but of course, life comes first. Fires remain active, and there are ongoing concerns around air quality, mobility, evacuation orders and curfews in several locations. We’ll be ready to make changes if needed. Thank you all for showing up, supporting, and taking care of one another.

With caution and safety being of the utmost importance in situations such as these, we expect the VCT to assess the situation thoroughly before a decision is made. Whether the VCT Americas Kickoff is ultimately delayed, moved to a new location, or simply progresses without a hitch still remains to be seen.

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