VCT Stage 3 – Challengers 2 will be on its way shortly and will see the region’s top teams earn places in the SEA Challengers Playoffs, marking the first step towards Masters Berlin.
The third edition of VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) is split into eight regions throughout Asia: Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Hong Kong & Taiwan, Malaysia & Singapore, Vietnam, Korea, and Japan. Meanwhile, Turkey will join the EMEA region due to its closer proximity to Europe. Hundreds of teams around Asia seek to qualify for the Challengers Playoffs, where they will fight to earn their ticket to Masters Berlin in September.
The most prestigious circuit in VALORANT to date will commence its second week of the final stage beginning on July 22-25. Each regional will include eight qualified teams through the previous week’s final rankings and open qualifications held on July 16-18.
ALSO READ: VCT Stage 3 Challengers 1 Recap – Results, MVP, more
The list of participants consists of a number of exciting teams, which are listed below:
🇹🇭 Thailand
FULL SENSE and Foxy Araikordai are back for blood this time. With X10 Esports now already in Challengers Playoffs, both teams have an excellent chance to accompany Itthirit “foxz” Ngamsaard’s X10 to represent Thailand.
The victor of VCT Thailand Stage 3 Challengers 2 will earn a guaranteed spot in the SEA Challengers Playoffs as well as the first-place prize of TH18,000 (US$560). The remaining three teams in the final standings will move on to the Challengers 3 main event and avoid playing through the open qualifier next week.
The competition will occur from July 22-25, with all matches being played in best-of-three (BO3) format, except for the LB Rounds 1, 2, and Grand Final.
| AboveCloud | FW Esports |
| Z11 | 47 Gaming |
| FULL SENSE | Foxy Araikordai |
| Need Sponsor | wicket berg |
🇮🇩 Indonesia
The second week will include all eight anticipated teams, including BOOM Esports, the frontrunner among them all. Alter Ego came close to missing out on qualifying after losing to RRQ but could do so thanks to their 5th seeding results. Mencari Tempat Berlabuh has joined NXLG as an academy team, implying that the organization’s primary squad will be revealed in the foreseeable future.
The winner of VCT Indonesia Stage 3 Challengers 2 will get a guaranteed spot in the SEA Challengers Playoffs as well as the first-place prize of Rp25,000,000 (US$1,720). The remaining three teams in the final standings will move on to the Challengers 3 main event and avoid playing through the open qualifier next week.
The competition will take place from July 23-25, with all matches being played in best-of-three (BO3) format, except for the Grand Final.
| NXLG Academy | Rex Regum Qeon |
| XcN | WAY Esports |
| Bigetron Astro | BOOM Esports |
| MORPH Impact | Alter Ego Esports |
🇵🇭 Philippines
Two Filipino powerhouses, Zeal Esports and Galaxy Racer, looked solid throughout their recent VCT Stage 3 Challengers 1 run. They will be hoping to seal the deal and qualify for the SEA Challengers Playoffs. However, the remaining six contenders will not make it easy and look primed to make new history and accompany Bren Esports, who have qualified in the first week. Among those who qualified, three new names will enter the race this week: Alpha Esports Pro, Oasis Gaming, and UCFC Esports.
The winner of Philippines Stage 3 Challengers 2 will get a guaranteed spot in the SEA Challengers Playoffs as well as the first-place prize of PH₱100,000 (US$2,025).
The competition will take place from July 23-25, with all matches being played in best-of-three (BO3) format, except for the Grand Final.
| Alpha Esports Pro | Galaxy Racer |
| Oasis Gaming | Zeal Esports |
| SE Atlas | SV Empire |
| UCFC Esports | South Built Esports |
🇭🇰 🇹🇼 Hong Kong & Taiwan
Griffin E-Sports, Five Ace e-Sports, and TYPHOONS will reclaim the spot as the top three standings in the previous week’s competition. CBT Gaming, on the other hand, has been disqualified for failing to submit a request for authorization to utilize VPNs during the game.
The winner of VCT Hong Kong & Taiwan Stage 3 Challengers 2 will get a guaranteed spot in the SEA Challengers Playoffs as well as the first-place prize of US$2,000. The remaining three teams in the final standings will move on to the Challengers 3 main event and avoid playing through the open qualifier next week.
It will take place from July 23-25, with all matches being played in best-of-three (BO3) format, except for the Grand Final.
| Griffin E-Sports | TYPHOONS |
| Five Ace e-Sports | Water |
| Horse Victory | YMG |
| Clutch Jeans | TRAITORS |
🇲🇾 🇸🇬 Malaysia & Singapore
The competition will heat up beginning this week, with the winner earning a spot in the SEA Challengers Playoffs. Paper Rex and UuU are two contending teams that made it to the grand final of last week, with the latter having made a deep run the week before and being anticipated to do so again this week.
Team SMG will be back on the stage as they advanced to the main event. They will look to turn things around after not up to their usual standard in their most recent matches against Todak and Kingsmen the week before.
The winner of VCT Malaysia & Singapore Stage 3 Challengers 2 will get a guaranteed spot in the SEA Challengers Playoffs as well as the first-place prize of SG$2,080 (US$1,533). The remaining three teams in the final standings will move on to the Challengers 3 main event and avoid playing through the open qualifier next week
The competition will take place from July 23-25, with all matches being played in best-of-three (BO1) format, except for the Upper Final (BO3), Lower Final (BO3), and Grand Final (BO5).
| Team SMG | UwU |
| Timing Monster Gaming | Todak |
| Paper Rex | UndeRank |
| Louvre | Kingsmen |
🇻🇳 Vietnam
While Vietnam joined the buzz later than the others, the excitement is palpable, particularly given that the prize pool is almost four times that of the other regions. Kanatic Gaming, one of eight teams competing, have a unique composition to know: two French-Vietnamese and one German-Vietnamese, with another two Vietnamese roundings out the roster.
Eight teams listed below will compete for a chance to be the second out of three Vietnam representatives in the playoffs.
The winner of VCT Vietnam Stage 3 Challengers 2 will get a guaranteed spot in the SEA Challengers Playoffs as well as the first-place prize of VND100,000,000 (US$4,538). The remaining three teams in the final standings will move on to the Challengers 3 main event and avoid playing through the open qualifier a second time.
The competition will take place from July 23-25, with all matches being played in best-of-three (BO3) format, with the exception of the Grand Final.
| DivisionX Gaming | CERBERUS Esports |
| EGO | Innocent Cats Gaming |
| Kantic Gaming | YAMAGAN |
| FEARUS | Fancy United Esports |
🇯🇵 Japan
FENNEL, who was missing in the first week, will compete in Japan’s last Challengers before joining the Stage 3 Challengers Playoffs. SETOUCHI LIFE and Icicle Conflict are among those vying for the four top positions to join along with the other qualifying four in the playoffs.
Japan, same as its first week, will use a similar format as North America and Korea. The top two standings from each round-robin group will obtain guaranteed spots in the Japan Challengers Playoffs. The competition will take place from July 22-23, with all matches being played in best-of-two (BO2) format.
| SETOUCHI ENLIFE | Storks Phalanx |
| Gaming Team Selector | Icice Conflict |
| Insomnia | FENNEL |
| REJECT | Feeling |
🇰🇷 Korea
Korea will approach the league differently than any other Asian region. Previously, sixteen teams from the open qualification had competed in a best-of-three (BO3) format in a single-elimination round for seeding. Currently, the same sixteen teams have been split into four groups of four teams each in a GSL group stage with all matches being best-of-three (BO3).
The tournament began on July 8 and will last three weeks, ending on August 1, with the top eight teams from the VCT Korea Stage 3 Challengers Stage advancing to the Challengers Playoffs.
| NUTURN Gaming | Klaus |
| DAMWON Gaming | Noble Experience |
| Vision Strikers | Unknown |
| World Game Star | GOMA |
| Prince | RYU Gaming |
| TNL Esports | DFR |
| F4Q | Alpha Six Gaming |
| GochuGaru | Mujig 100su |
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Cover photo courtesy of LCK
