VCT EMEA 2025 Stage 1: Teams, schedule, groups, and more

With VALORANT Champions Tour 2025 - EMEA Stage 1 set to begin, the spotlight returns to one of the most competitive regions in VALORANT. Europe, the Middle East, and Africa’s top teams are gearing up for battle, each looking to secure their place on the international stage. Kicking off on March 26, this stage carries even greater significance, with three qualification spots for VALORANT Champions Tour 2025 - Masters Toronto 2025 up for grabs. The road to global dominance starts here, and the competition has never been fiercer.

Format:

Group Stage Structure

• Two groups of six teams
• Single round-robin format (each team plays five matches)
• All matches are Bo3
• Top four teams from each group advance to Playoffs
  • First-place teams from each group earn a bye into the Upper Bracket Semifinals
  • Second and third-place teams advance to Upper Bracket Round 1
  • Fourth-place teams start from Lower Bracket Round 1

Playoffs Structure

The Playoffs will feature a double-elimination bracket, where teams battle for the Stage 1 championship and a spot at VCT Masters Toronto.

• All matches (except the Lower Bracket Final & Grand Final) are Bo3
• Lower Bracket Final & Grand Final are Bo5 The tournament will culminate in a Grand Final on May 18, where the Stage 1 champion will be crowned.

Three International Spots Up for Grabs

Unlike previous stages, where only the top two teams advanced, this time, three teams will qualify for the international event, making every match even more critical.

A New Map Pool: Icebox and Ascent Return

To shake things up, VCT EMEA 2025 Stage 1 will feature a revised map pool:

Added: Icebox and Ascent

Removed: Bind and Abyss

These maps will be in play for the entirety of Stage 1, giving teams a fresh tactical landscape to navigate.

The Groups:

VCT EMEA Stage 1 begins with a single round-robin group stage, splitting teams into two groups of six:

Group Alpha

• Team Vitality
• Apeks
• Natus Vincere
• GIANTX
• Fnatic
• Team Heretics

Group Omega

• Team Liquid
• KOI
• Karmine Corp
• Gentle Mates
• BBL Esports
• FUT Esports

Schedule:

Matches will be played across three days each week, with a special four-day Playoff week from May 8 to 11, leading into the final three days from May 16 to 18.

Week 1

26th March, Wednesday

• Team Vitality vs GIANTX
• BBL Esports vs Karmine Corp

27th March, Thursday

• Team Heretics vs Apeks
• FUT Esports vs KOI

28th March, Friday

• Fnatic vs Natus Vincere
• Team Liquid vs Gentle Mates

Week 2

2nd April, Wednesday

• Team Liquid vs BBL Esports
• Apeks vs Natus Vincere

3rd April, Thursday

• FUT Esports vs Gentle Mates
• Team Heretics vs GIANTX

4th April, Friday

• Team Vitality vs Fnatic
• KOI vs Karmine Corp

Week 3

9th April, Wednesday

• KOI vs BBL Esports
• Natus Vincere vs GIANTX

10th April, Thursday

• Team Liquid vs FUT Esports
• Team Vitality vs Team Heretics

11th April, Friday

• Apeks vs Fnatic
• Karmine Corp vs Gentle Mates

Week 4

16th April, Wednesday

• Team Vitality vs Apeks
• Team Liquid vs KOI

17th April, Thursday

• Gentle Mates vs BBL Esports
• GIANTX vs Fnatic

18th April, Friday

• Karmine Corp vs FUT Esports
• Natus Vincere vs Team heretics

Week 5

23rd April, Wednesday

• BBL Esports vs FUT Esports
• GIANTX vs Apeks

24th April, Thursday

• Gentle Mates vs KOI
• Team Vitality vs Natus Vincere

25th April, Friday

• Team Liquid vs Karmine Corp
• Fnatic vs Team Heretics

All Week 1 games will take place at 5 pm and 8 pm CET respectively.

All games from Week 2 onwards will take place 1 hour earlier, from 4 pm and 7 pm CET respectively.

Find all the match links on our tournament page HERE.

Championship Points Standings: The Race for VALORANT Champions Paris

Beyond Masters Toronto, teams are also battling for Championship Points, which determine who qualifies for VALORANT Champions Paris later this year. Here is where things stand after Kickoff:

With plenty of time left in 2025, the leaderboard could shift dramatically based on Stage 1 results.

Get Your Tickets for VCT EMEA Stage 1

While Wednesday matches will no longer have live audiences, Riot Games is doubling down on creating unforgettable fan experiences for the biggest games. To secure your seat at the Riot Games Arena in Berlin, grab your tickets here.

The Stage Is Set—Who Will Rise?

With international qualification, Championship Points, and regional dominance on the line, VCT EMEA Stage 1 is shaping up to be a battlefield. Will Team Vitality continue their reign? Can Team Liquid fight back? Or will a new challenger rise to claim the crown?

For all things VCT-related, make sure to stay tuned to THESPIKE.GG as we continue to update you with the freshest game and esports news.

Featured Image Source: VALORANT Esports EMEA/Riot Games