Opportunity is in the air as we get ready to kick off the biggest VALORANT promotion tournament this region has ever seen, with 2025 VCT Ascension EMEA set to get underway October 18. 

For the first time ever, two teams will be promoted to VCT EMEA, meaning the door to the global VALORANT Champions Tour is wide open to eight EMEA Challengers teams.

This year, we’re elevating the tournament by welcoming EMEA’s brightest prospects and talents to Riot Games Arena in Berlin for a full LAN event. This will be accompanied by a new broadcast style for the Group Stages to bring the community behind the scenes and closer to the future stars of VCT.

Read on for all the key information about the broadcast, dates, and format.

VCT Ascension EMEA 2025 Format

The format for Ascension will be a little different this time around. This year’s event will feature eight teams and a more streamlined process as we prepare for two massive Ascension Matches.

The eight teams who qualified from the VCT Challenger EMEA ecosystem - ULF Esports, BBL PCIFIC, Twisted Minds, Enterprise Esports, Mandatory, Joblife, DNSTY, and FOKUS - will have the opportunity to be promoted to VCT EMEA 2026.

The teams will be separated into two groups of four and will compete in a GSL format featuring best-of-threes.

Essentially, this is a double-elimination format. Teams will always face a team with the same record. Win twice, and they’ll qualify for an Ascension Match. Lose twice, and their season is over.

These Group Stage matches will take place in our newly enhanced Pro Player High Performance Rooms at the Riot Games Arena, and will include an entertaining, spontaneous, community-first broadcast.

Then, the top two teams from each group will take the stage at Riot Games Arena in front of a group of passionate fans, for the crucial Ascension Matches. We’re spoiling you this year with two epic finals to enjoy! Each match will be a high-pressure best-of-five to show who is ready to step up and compete with the region’s elite.

All matches will be played on Patch 11.07 with the following map pool: Abyss, Ascent, Bind, Corrode, Haven, Lotus, and Sunset.

VCT Ascension EMEA 2025 Dates and Times

VCT Ascension EMEA will kick off on Saturday, October 18, with the two Ascension Matches set to take place on October 25 and October 26.

The full schedule looks like this:

• October 18: Group Stage Day 1 - two Bo3s (Group A)

• October 19: Group Stage Day 2 - two Bo3s (Group B)

• October 20: Group Stage Day 3 - two Bo3s (Loser matches of both groups)

• October 21: Group Stage Day 4 - two Bo3s (Winner matches of both groups)

• October 22: Group Stage Day 5 - two Bo3s (Decider matches of both groups)

• October 23-24: Dark Days

• October 25: First Ascension Match - one Bo5

• October 26: Second Ascension Match - one Bo5

The matches for each day of the Group Stages will start at 5pm CEST. Ascension Matches will start at 6pm CEST on their respective days.

VCT Ascension EMEA 2025 Broadcast Details

There may not be a live audience for the Group Stage games, but we’re introducing a brand-new, fun and intimate broadcast approach which we think you’ll love.

For those opening five days in the player rooms, we will have a casual couch broadcast set-up so our broadcast talent can relax alongside you and react as the games unfold. We will have all kinds of fun segments before matches and plenty of interactive elements to make our fans a part of the show.

Plus, we’ll be bringing the community together with loads of guests on the broadcast, including co-streamers, Ascension players, team staff, and VCT EMEA pros who are still in Berlin. The casters will even occasionally join us on the couch before and after games.

As for the final two showdays with our all-important Ascension Matches, we will return to your regular broadcast experience, live in front of the Riot Games Arena audience.

VCT Ascension EMEA 2025 Tickets

We want to ensure that fans of qualified teams have the opportunity to cheer on their favourite players in one of the most crucial matches of their careers.
So, after the last match of the Group Stages, we will release a limited number of extra tickets for the final two Ascension Matches. These additional tickets will go on sale on https://emeatickets.valorantesports.com/, at 3pm on October 23. Make sure you’re quick and don’t miss out!