The 2024 Valorant esports season is set to commence with a kickoff tournament across all four international leagues. The top two teams from each league will qualify for the first major event of the year, Masters Madrid. Here is all the information currently available about the VCT EMEA Kickoff tournament.
The 2023 season concluded with a thrilling victory for Evil Geniuses, claiming the Valorant Champions trophy after Fnatic’s dominance in the earlier part of the year with wins at VCT LOCK//IN and Masters Tokyo. Riot Games has implemented significant changes post the 2023 circuit, introducing VCT China and making slight adjustments to the schedules of international leagues.
Instead of a universal kickoff tournament featuring all teams in the VCT league ecosystem, each league will host its own kickoff tournament. The top two teams from each 11-team league will then proceed to Masters Madrid for the inaugural major tournament of the year.
Below are the details we have so far regarding the VCT Americas kickoff tournament, including information on where to watch, participating teams, and the start date.
VCT EMEA KICKOFF: STREAM
The VCT EMEA Kickoff tournament will be streamed on the league’s Twitch and YouTube platforms. The Twitch stream is embedded below for your convenience.
VCT EMEA KICKOFF: FORMAT
All 11 teams will be seeded and divided into three groups, with one group consisting of only three teams. The highest-placing team from Valorant Champions 2023, in VCT EMEA’s case, Paper Rex, will be placed in the group of three with a bye to the second round.
Remaining teams will be seeded based on their 2023 performance and drawn into the remaining slots. The group stage will follow a double-elimination bracket with best-of-three matches, and the top two teams from each group will advance to the next stage.
Second-place teams from each group will face off in a Play-In Stage, playing each other once, with the team holding the best record moving on to the Playoff Stage alongside the top teams from each group.
The Playoff Stage will determine two representatives for the league at Masters Madrid through a single-elimination bracket.
VCT EMEA KICKOFF: SCHEDULE
VCT EMEA will commence the Kickoff tournament on February 20 and conclude on March 1 with the Grand Final matchup. The schedule is outlined as follows:
- Group Stage: February 20 to 25
- Play-In Stage: February 26
- Playoffs Stage: February 29 to March 1
Exact match scheduling details have not been released, and once available, they will be added.
VCT EMEA KICKOFF: RESULTS
GROUP STAGE: FEBRUARY 20-25
Group A
PLACEMENT | TEAM | RECORD
1 | Team Heretics | 1-0
2 | Karmine Corp | 1-0
3 | GIANTX | 0-1
4 | FUT Esports | 0-1
Group B
PLACEMENT | TEAM | RECORD
1 | NAVI | 1-0
1 | Team Liquid | 1-0
2 | BBL | 0-1
2 | KOI | 0-1
Group C
PLACEMENT | TEAM | RECORD
1 | Team Vitality | 1-0
2 | Fnatic | 0-0
3 | Gentle Mates | 0-1
Day 1: February 20
STAGE | MATCH | PT | ET | GMT
Group A Round 1 | FUT 0-2 Heretics | 8 AM | 11 AM | 4 PM
Group A Round 1 | GIANTX 1-2 KCorp | 11 PM | 2 PM | 7 PM
Day 2: February 21
STAGE | MATCH | PT | ET | GMT
Group B Round 1 | NAVI 2-1 BBL | 5 AM | 8 AM | 1 PM
Group B Round 1 | Team Liquid 2-0 KOI | 8 AM | 11 AM | 4 PM
Group C Round 1 | Vitality 2-0 M8 | 11 PM | 2 PM | 7 PM
Day 3: February 22
STAGE | MATCH | PT | ET | GMT
Group C Round 2 | Fnatic vs TBD | 5 AM | 8 AM | 1 PM
Group Round TBD | TBD vs TBD | 8 AM | 11 AM | 4 PM
Group Round TBD | TBD vs TBD | 11 PM | 2 PM | 7 PM
Day 4: February 23
STAGE | MATCH | PT | ET | GMT
Group Round TBD | TBD vs TBD | 5 AM | 8 AM | 1 PM
Group Round TBD | TBD vs TBD | 8 AM | 11 AM | 4 PM
Group Round TBD | TBD vs TBD | 11 PM | 2 PM | 7 PM
Day 5: February 24
STAGE | MATCH | PT | ET | GMT
Group Round TBD | TBD vs TBD | 5 AM | 8 AM | 1 PM
Group Round TBD | TBD vs TBD | 8 AM | 11 AM | 4 PM
Group Round TBD | TBD vs TBD | 11 PM | 2 PM | 7 PM
Day 6: February 25
STAGE | MATCH | PT | ET | GMT
Group Round TBD | TBD vs TBD | 5 AM | 8 AM | 1 PM
Group Round TBD | TBD vs TBD | 8 AM | 11 AM | 4 PM
Group Round TBD | TBD vs TBD | 11 PM | 2 PM | 7 PM
PLAY-IN: FEBRUARY 26
Day 7: February 26
STAGE | MATCH | PT | ET | GMT
Play-ins | TBD vs TBD | 5 AM | 1 AM | 1 PM
Play-ins | TBD vs TBD | 8 AM | 11 AM | 4 PM
Play-ins | TBD vs TBD | 11 PM | 2 PM | 7 PM
PLAYOFFS: FEBRUARY 29 – MARCH 1
Day 8: February 29
STAGE | MATCH | PT | ET | GMT
Semifinals | TBD vs TBD | 8 AM | 11 AM | 4 PM
Semifinals | TBD vs TBD | 11 PM | 2 PM | 7 PM
Day 8: March 1
STAGE | MATCH | PT | ET | GMT
Grand Finals | TBD vs TBD | 8 AM | 11 AM | 4 PM
VCT EMEA KICKOFF: TEAMS
Team rosters are not final as the transfer window is still open, and some teams have yet to announce their full rosters. However, most of these teams have been practicing for months during the off-season and should be locked in for at least this tournament.
Team | Players
BBL Esports | QutionerX, Brave, Elite, pAura, reazy
Fnatic | Boaster, Derke, Alfajer, Leo,
