The 2022 VALORANT Champions Tour is about to start Masters 2 on July 10-24, featuring twelve teams. The placements will decide VCT Circuit Points for regional seeding going into the Last Chance Qualifier and VALORANT Champions. However, with previous performances leading up to Masters 2, some teams have already locked their spot in Champions Istanbul, regardless of any future tournament results. Here are the current teams that have already qualified for the VCT Champions Istanbul 2022 tournament prior to Masters 2 Copenhagen.
[Related: VALORANT Masters 2 Copenhagen Groups Stage Announced]
Optic Gaming enters Masters 2 Copenhagen as NA’s second seed. Previously attending Masters 1 Reykjavík as NA’s second seed, OpTic would take the entire event by beating LOUD 3-0, earning 750 Circuit Points. In Challengers 2, OpTic would repeat their past success, securing a spot in Masters 2 with a 3-1 win over XSET in the Upper Final. Although they would fall in a rematch, the 150 points for second seed still placed OpTic in first. Masters 1 first seed The Guard’s failed to qualify for the Challengers 2 Playoffs, guaranteeing no two teams could overtake OpTic’s 900 point total. This resulted in OpTic Gaming earning the first spot at Champions Istanbul 2022.
REYKJAVIK, ICELAND – APRIL 24: Team OpTic Gaming poses with trophy in hand after their victory at the VALORANT Masters Finals on April 24, 2022 in Reykjavik, Iceland. (Photo by Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games)
XSET started the 2022 Circuit at a commendable fourth place finish in Challengers 1. A 3-2 Groups Stage found them initially dropping to OpTic Gaming 1-2, before fighting their way in the Lower Bracket, beating Knights and Luminosity 2-0 before being eliminated by Cloud9 1-2. Although XSET would not make it to Masters 1, this performance earned them 45 VCT Circuit Points. Challengers 2 found the team vastly improved, earning the first seed in Group A with a 4-1 record. XSET would then beat Faze Clan 3-1 for a Masters 2 spot and OpTic in a Grand Finals rematch 3-1. This performance earned first seed and 250 Circuit Points, totaling XSET’s points to 295. This placed them above The Guard’s 220, locking the second spot in Champions Istanbul for XSET.
LOUD enters as Brazil’s first seed, after locking spots in both Masters 1 and Masters 2. A second place finish in Masters 2 against OpTic Gaming earned them 500 Circuit Points. With only one spot in Brazil to claim with VCT Circuit Points, LOUD’s 3-0 victory against Ninjas In Pyjamas not only earned a repeat appearance at Masters, but locked their spot by denying NIP from earning any more points. LOUD will represent Brazil at VCT Champions Istanbul 2022, regardless of their performance at Masters 2.
REYKJAVIK, ICELAND – APRIL 24: Team LOUD appears at the VALORANT Masters Finals on April 24, 2022 in Reykjavik, Iceland. (Photo by Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games)
DRX are the number one seed with their repeat representation of Korea in Masters 1 Reykjavík and Masters 2 Copenhagen. A 2-0 against On Sla2ers secured the Masters 1 spot, while a fifth place finish after being defeated by OpTic Gaming 1-2 and ZETA DIVISION 1-2 earned 250 Circuit Points. In Challengers 2, DRX finished first again, this time by beating Maru Gaming 3-0 to secure the Masters 2 Copenhagen slot and 150 more Circuit Points. DRX claim the Korea slot for VCT Champions Istanbul 2022 handily with 400 Circuit points.
REYKJAVIK, ICELAND – APRIL 10: Team DRX poses onstage after a victory match at the VALORANT Masters Groups Stage on April 10, 2022 in Reykjavik, Iceland. (Photo by Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games)
Paper Rex and XERXIA stand at the top spots in APAC with repeat results in Challengers 1 and 2. Challengers 1 had Paper Rex winning 3-2, while Challengers 2 had an even more dominant Paper Rex victory at 3-0. With no other teams breaking through the top two, there is no contest for APAC’s slots. Paper Rex and XERXIA respectively sit as APAC’s number one and two seeds heading into VCT Champions Istanbul 2022.
REYKJAVIK, ICELAND – APRIL 22: Paper Rex poses at a post match press conference at the VALORANT Masters Semifinals on April 22, 2022 in Reykjavik, Iceland. (Photo by Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games)
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