Last Chance Qualifier, the continuation of the VCT!

The Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ) is the last chance for non-qualified teams to prove their worth. Consisting of 4 tournaments, it will offer the winners from each region (NA, EMEA, APAC and SA) the opportunity to join the Valorant Champions. The LCQ will take place from 10th to 17th October.

The Valorant Champion Tour started in January. Throughout the various stages, teams had the opportunity to win VCT points to move up the regional rankings. Only the top two teams in each region secured their place.

Last week, we saw the qualification of Team Secret and 8 other teams: Sentinels, KRÜ Esports, Team Viking, Keyd Stars, Gambit Esports, Vision Strikers, Crazy Raccoon, X10 Esports. With the end of the Masters in Berlin, the 12 pre-qualified rosters are now known; the list being completed by Gambit Esports winners of the Masters, the Team Envy and Fnatic.

These excellent teams already promise great encounters and four more teams are expected at the World Championship via the LCQ, for even more intense matches.

Teams qualified for the Last Chance Qualifiers

The #X indicates the position of the roster in the ranking determined by the circuit points. The * reefers to a change explained in a paragraph.

LCQ – Europe, Middle East, Africa

The LCQ EMEA has been subject to recent changes. forZe team was ranked tenth. However, three players of the organisation, Coffee, Zeddy and hugeon have joined One Breath Gaming. *As per the rules, One Breath Gaming has taken over the slot at LCQ.

The various matches of the first round have been finalised.

G2 Esports has come a long way in qualifying for the Berlin Masters. The team showed its skills by ending Sentinels' winning streak and securing a place in the semi-finals. They are the favourite team for the LCQ, but others such as Team Liquid, SuperMassive and Guild Esports have not said their final word.

LCQ – North America

Note theabsence of TSM which was one of the top NA teams at the launch of Valorant. With the defeat of Team Envy in the final of the Berlin Masters, TSM, in 11th position, was not drafted.

This LCQ has also been subject to a recent change. The Australian team PEACE had secured their place by finishing second in the Oceania Tour. However, the majority of the players were acquired by the Chiefs Esports Club. *In accordance with the rules, the slot was taken over by the team.

The various first matches have been revealed.

In the quarter-finals of the top bracket, the winner of match A will meet 100 Thieves. Similarly, the winner of match B will then play Version1.

The 100Thieves, who reached the semi-finals of the Berlin Masters playoffs, are the favourites of the LCQ. However, the other teams in the group are also determined to win. We can't wait to see the matches between the Australian and North American teams!

LCQ - South American

The South-American LCQ will see teams from both the Brazilian and Latin American circuits go head to head. All of them are ready to prove their talent to win their place in the Valorant Champions, but Six Karma, Australs, Sharks Esports and Havan Liberty are all expected to make it to the finals of the LCQ.

LCQ – Asia-Pacific

This LCQ has also been subject to various recent changes. Initially, 2 slots were reserved for Chinese teams. However, Riot Games has announced a reallocation of these slots, notably for logistical reasons. *An additional slot has been allocated to the Japanese and Korean circuits, for the FENNEL and DAMWON Gaming teams.

In the same press release, we learn that ZETA DIVISION has withdrawn. This team had obtained its slot for the LCQ by finishing second in the Japanese ranking. The organisation has expressed itself on this decision and prefers, for the moment, to focus on the reorganisation of the team for the 2022 season. **It has been replaced by NORTHEPTION.

The battle is likely to be intense in this LCQ which brings together some of the best teams from 4 different areas of Asia and the Pacific. It's hard to say which team stands out more than the others.

Format of these LCQs

At the moment, we only know the formats of the Last Chance Qualified APAC, the Last Chance Qualifier EMEA and the Last Chance Qualifier NAfrom the data provided by Riot Games. This is double elimination format. All matches will be played in BO3, except for the Grand Final which will be played in BO5. Without further information, we can assume that this format will be identical in the remaining region.

We are of course looking forward to the confrontations that will take place during the Valorant Champions. This final stage, which will determine the best team in the world, will take place in Berlin from 1st to 12th December. The question is: will a big organisation from the EMEA or NA regions win or will we see an outsider from South-America or the Asia-Pacific region? The suspense is still there.

In the meantime, one can imagine that the pre-qualified rosters are the focus of attention, and even more so the players who have stood out in recent weeks. No doubt some contracts will be coveted and probably renegotiated.

All you need to know about the Valorant Champions Tour 2021