What’s Next for VALORANT Esports After Champions 2025
Today we want to share the initial details about VALORANT competitions taking place after the conclusion of Champions 2025!
After Champions concludes in early October, several major events including Ascension, Game Changers, and international tournaments will see top teams compete for glory, promotion, and trophies! This is just the start of what you can expect at the close of the year, and we’ll be announcing additional information about events, tickets, and broadcasts later this summer.
Ascension: The Next Step to the International Leagues
The 2025 Ascension tournaments will run from October 13 to 26, immediately after Champions. Top Challengers teams and Ascended teams will battle it out for their spot in the International Leagues for 2026. Will the incumbents defend their place or will a new team rise to the top tier of the sport? Find out when your region’s event is taking place below:
VCT Ascension EMEA:
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October 19 - 26th in the VCT EMEA Berlin studio
VCT Ascension AMERICAS
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October 17 - 26th in the Riot Games São Paulo studio
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More info here
VCT Ascension CN
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October 11 - 19th in the VCT CN Studio
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October 13 - 26th in Bangkok, Thailand
Ascended Team Extends their Stay in the IL
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If they qualify for Champions (only one team can extend their stay)
Ascended Team Defends their slot at Ascension
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If they qualify for Stage 2 playoffs but fail to qualify for Champions
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If they are top 8 in Champions Points but fails to qualify for Champions
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If they are the lower performing of two Ascension Teams who qualified for Champions
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If they are tied for Top 8 in Champions Points
Ascended Team Relegates Directly to Challengers
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If they do not meet any of the criteria listed above
Game Changers Championship Lands in Seoul
We’re also thrilled to share that the Game Changers Championship will take place for the first time in Seoul, at the historic LoL Park, from November 20 - 30th. The event will showcase the best Game Changers team from around the world. We’ve shared some initial details about the event already, notably the introduction of an LCQ for GC Americas, so head on over to find out more.
Introducing VCT Partner Series
This year we’re introducing VCT Partner Series, a title reserved for the biggest events taking place between VCT seasons. With VCT Partner Series events we’ll work to recognize these events, create schedule alignment during the planning stages, support TO’s with sourcing VCT teams, and explore open qualifiers that will grant opportunities to Challengers and Amateur teams to clash with partnered teams. These events are just the first batch of tournaments to look forward to in the post Champs period, and we’ll be sharing additional details and updates closer to Champions.
2025 VCT Partner Series Event Lineup
Here’s the international events you can look forward to after Champions:
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Red Bull Home Ground World Final
- Date: November 14-16
- Taking place in the Americas, Red Bull Home Ground World Final will feature top VCT teams and qualified teams battling their way towards the finals which will take place in New York.
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SOOP VALORANT League Pacific
- Date: December 1-7
- Top teams from around the world will face off, providing a preview of how new rosters stack up ahead of the 2026 season.
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Project Blender
- Date: October - December
- Taking place across EMEA, The Blender is a new VALORANT tournament with groundbreaking rules, welcoming every tier of play through an open qualifier of up to 1,024 teams; through successive stages teams from VRC, Premier, Challengers, Game Changers, VCT EMEA and any other team of the ecosystem will fight for advancement with the best will clashing in December to crown the inaugural champion.
Looking Ahead
With Game Changers, Ascension, VCT Presents and even more additional events, the end of the year will be full of international competition. We’ll see the debut of new rosters, new formats, and a chance up and coming teams to test their skills against established teams.
