Everything you need to catch up on ahead of VCT CN Stage 2.
CHINA – VCT CN Stage 2 runs from July 3 to August 31. Whether you’re a new viewer or a returning fan, here’s your complete guide to the season, teams, rosters, and where to watch.
Introduction of VCT CN:
VCT CN (short for VCT China) is the fourth international league in Riot’s VALORANT Champions Tour system. It officially launched in 2024, a year after the other regions, but follows the same structure as its counterparts in the Americas, EMEA, and Pacific, with 10 partnered teams and 2 Ascension teams competing throughout the season.
While most teams are built around local Chinese talent, the league also allows each team to field one international import. That said, five teams, EDward Gaming, Trace Esports, Titan Esports Club, JDG Esports, and TYLOO, currently operate with fully Chinese lineups. Several of the league’s imports have strong Mandarin language skills, which eases communication and team synergy. Some examples include: Marcus “nephh” Tan (Bilibili Gaming), Delbert “deLb” Tanoto (All Gamers), and Tyler “juicy” Aeria (Wolves Esports).
EDward Gaming (EDG) has long been the face of Chinese VALORANT. In 2024, they won every domestic title and went on to win the 2024 VALORANT World Championship. However, their reign was shaken in Stage 1 of 2025, where they finished 4th, ending their domestic title streak and missing out on international qualification for the first time.
That left the door open for Ascension squad Xi Lai Gaming (XLG), who seized the moment. XLG defeated Bilibili Gaming in the Stage 1 grand finals after taking down EDG and Wolves Esports to become the first team other than EDward Gaming to win a VCT CN title.
ALSO READ: EWC VALORANT 2025 opening matchups and schedule set
VCT CN Stage 2:
VCT CN Stage 2 returns to its home base in Shanghai, where all group stage matches will be played at the VCT CN Arena.
Just like Stage 1, the teams will be split into two groups of six, though the groupings have been reshuffled. Each team will face every other team in their group once, following a single round-robin format. By the end of the group stage on August 3, the top four teams from each group will advance to the playoffs, which will feature a double-elimination bracket.
The top two playoff teams will punch their tickets directly to VALORANT Champions Paris. The final two Chinese slots will be decided based on Championship Points accumulated throughout the 2025 season, earned from performances in regional VCT matches and international tournaments.
Teams qualify for VALORANT Champions Paris via:
- Stage 2 Champions
- Stage 2 Runners-up
- #1 Championship Points
- #2 Championship Points
The four-week Group Stage will feature matches on four to five days each week. Early in the week, fans can expect just one match per day, a familiar format for VCT CN fans. There will be a pause in the action during the week of the Esports World Cup (EWC) VALORANT event, as XLG, Bilibili Gaming, EDward Gaming, and Titan Esports Club travel to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to compete from July 8–13. The Group Stage will run from July 3–6 in its opening week and resume again on July 16.
Here’s a quick recap of the roster changes heading into VCT CN Stage 2, compared to Stage 1:
Dragon Ranger Gaming
- ➕ Added Akeman (rookie)
FunPlus Phoenix
- ➕ Hired head coach LEGIJA (formerly with Bleed Esports 2022–2024, Enterprise Esports 2025)
TYLOO
- ➕ Added Yoyo (formerly of Trace Esports, 17Gaming, LP33)
- ➖ Departed: 5CM, hfmi0dzjc9z7
- 🔁 sword9 returns to player role
- ⬆️ hypnotizing promoted to head coach
JDG Esports
- ➕ Added kklin (rookie), assistant coach Wendler (ex-G2, 2024)
- ➖ Departed: YiHao
EDward Gaming
- ➕ Added hfmi0dzjc9z7 (now going by zjc) from TYLOO
Titan Esports Club
- ➕ Added lucas (rookie from North America)
- ➖ Departed: Rb, B1ack
Nova Esports
- ➕ Added monk (from All Gamers)
Trace Esports
- ➕ Added MarT1n (from Xi Lai Gaming)
- ➖ Departed: Midi
All Gamers
- ➕ Added Shr1mp (from FunPlus Phoenix), coach ED101
- ➖ Departed: Oi, Paris, monk
Xi Lai Gaming
- ➕ Added NoMan (formerly with Rare Atom and Oblivion Force)
- ➖ Departed: Midi, YOU, MarT1n, assistant coach arianxx
VCT CN Stage 2 Broadcast & Tickets
It’s still unclear whether the VCT CN Stage 2 Finals will follow the roadshow format used in past events. Last year’s finals took place in Changsha, while Stage 1 earlier this year was hosted in Beijing.
For those planning to attend in person, tickets are available via WeChat mini programs like Maoyan, Meituan, or Dianping. International fans will need to create a WeChat account and provide passport details to purchase. That said, most tickets are already sold out, especially for matches featuring top teams like EDward Gaming, Bilibili Gaming, and Wolves Esports.
If you’re watching remotely, the matches will be streamed across multiple platforms, including Twitch, YouTube, Douyin, Douyu, Huya, Bilibili, Weibo, Xiaohongshu, and many others.
Do note: the official broadcast is only available in Mandarin Chinese, and there is no English-language stream at this time. However, community co-streams in English and other languages are available.
VCT CN Stage 2 Schedule:
Teams to Watch, as recommended by VALO2ASIA:
- EDward Gaming
The reigning 2024 VALORANT World Champions are still searching for the right replacement for Xie “S1Mon” Mengxun. They will be playing with Zhang “zjc” Juncheng, who according to ZmjjKK was one of the few candidates who checked every box for the team. After a shaky Stage 1 finish, all eyes are on whether EDG can reclaim their throne.
- Wolves Esports
Fresh off a surprising top-three finish at VALORANT Masters Toronto, Wolves Esports have emerged as one of the region’s most exciting underdog stories. Their performances, paired with the stage flair and energy of Pong “SiuFatBB” Ka-hei, make them a must-watch.
- Xi Lai Gaming (XLG)
Your VCT CN Stage 1 champions. XLG ran through some of China’s biggest names to take the crown, but with YOU and Midi departing, the pressure now falls on new addition James “NoMan” Man to help maintain their momentum in the domestic scene.
- FunPlus Phoenix
It’s been a rough year for FPX, but the arrival of Nikola “LEGIJA” Ninić as head coach could be the change they need. Whether he can turn things around remains one of the biggest question marks of Stage 2.
- Nova Esports
One of the most promising up-and-coming teams, Nova Esports made waves during last year’s OFF//SEASON. Stage 2 will be a true test of whether they can hang with the region’s elite. TL;DR, heavily underrated.
Players to watch at VCT CN Stage 2, as recommended by VALO2ASIA:
- EDward Gaming: ZmjjKK, CHICHOO
- Xi Lai Gaming: Rarga, happywei
- Bilibili Gaming: whzy, rushia
- Wolves Esports: Spring, SiuFatBB
- Dragon Ranger Gaming: vo0kashu
- Trace Esports: Kai
- Nova Esports: Ezeir, GuanG
- Titan Esports Club: TvirusLuke
- FunPlus Phoenix: Life, yosemite
- JDG Esports: stew
- TYLOO: SLOWLY
- AG: Spitfires
Power Rankings of VCT CN Stage 2 by Chinese broadcast talent:
Some familiar faces from the VCT CN broadcast have dropped their Stage 2 Tier List, giving a look at how they’re ranking the teams going into the second half of the season. It’s a good way to get a feel for where each team stands.
For more insights on the Asian VALORANT scene and upcoming content like this, be sure to like and follow VALO2ASIA on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.
Cover photo courtesy of VCT CN
