The VALORANT Challengers Thailand Split 1 team list is now set, with Barn nong chok and Valee Thai Esports winning the Promotion Stage and the final six invites being announced.
THAILAND – VALORANT Challengers Thailand Split 1 team list has been finalized following the end of the promotion stage where Tanawat “xZe” Kannark’s Barn nong chok and Valee Thai Esports emerged as the top teams to join the six invited sides.
The two aforementioned teams will be joining the six invitees of XERXIA.RGH, FULL SENSE, Made in Thailand, Attack All Around, Sharper Esport, and Team NKT to fight for their share of a TH฿800,000 prize pool.
Taking center stage of the circuit which is now being hosted by FPSThailand and AfreecaTV will be the defending champions XERXIA. They secured victory in the second Split of the previous season, earning the opportunity to represent Thailand at VCT Ascension Pacific on their home turf. Despite this success, a recent overhaul of the roster has resulted in only Siraphop “siraphop” Honghirun and Wattanachok “aLerT” Yingnakorn remaining from the previous lineup, with the identities of the remaining three members set to be revealed in the coming days closer to the event’s start.
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MiTH are set to be among the frontrunners in navigating beyond the Regular Season, having undergone a substantial roster overhaul centered around star player Kantapon “Kadoom” Kingthong throughout the OFF//SEASON, where they also incorporated former Paper Rex substitute Patiphan “CGRS” Posri. Despite these changes, MiTH have looked relatively shaky and faced challenges in competing for titles against domestic opponents during the OFF//SEASON, finishing in third place twice at the Thai qualifier for both ESL Clash of Nations and AfreecaTV VALORANT League, with FULL SENSE eliminating them on both occasions.
FULL SENSE are positioned as one of the strong favorites to clinch the title, now boasting some of the most accomplished players from both Challengers and the Pacific League, along with a rising talent to bolster their firepower department. Kititkawin “PTC” Rattanasukol and his teammates showcased their capabilities by pushing DRX to a third map in the AfreecaTV VALORANT League and securing a victory in the opening series of ESL Clash of Nations 2023 against Talon Esports, although they faced retaliation in the subsequent encounter.
Sharper Esport are aspiring to reclaim their previous success, aiming to reach the heights of finishing as runners-up in the 2023 VALORANT Challengers Thailand Split 1. After a challenging subsequent split where they slipped to sixth place, SPE have undergone changes and now look to make a resurgence under the guidance of Thai FPS veteran Manutsawat “Reality” Sangphadung.
Attack All Around are a team brimming with potential, featuring the core players from the MiTH team that emerged victorious in the 2023 VALORANT Challengers Thailand Split 1. Furthermore, they have added Patcharapon “Niffy” Junman, the highest-performing player from ex-CRIT, in the role of a duelist, while also retaining Chanitpak “ChAlalala” Suwanaprateep, a former member of FULL SENSE, from the previous season.
Meanwhile, Team NKT emerged as the indisputable winners during the OFF//SEASON in Thailand, securing victories in the Predator League Thailand and ESL Clash of Nations. The question now lingers about whether their previous success under the guidance of coach Sattawut “Leaf” Reathong will seamlessly transition into official VCT matches, given the change in leadership with former TALON coach Yuttanagorn “Zeus” Kaewkongyai now at the helm.
The tournament is set to unfold from January 26 to March 3, featuring eight teams engaged in a best-of-three, single round-robin bracket. The top four teams will progress to the best-of-three, double-elimination playoffs on March 8, culminating in a best-of-five grand finals on March 10.
In addition to the immediate stakes, as an incentive for top-performing teams, the top six teams at the conclusion of the Regular Season in Split 1 will be granted direct invites for the subsequent Split, while the bottom two teams will face the Promotion/Relegation stage.
| XERXIA | FULL SENSE |
| MiTH | Attack All Around |
| Sharper Esport | Team NKT |
| Valee Thai Esports | Barn nong chok |
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Cover photo courtesy of VCT Pacific
