VCT Champions Istanbul 2022 will feature sixteen teams from around the world to compete for first place and second even VALORANT Champions. North America will send three teams to represent the region. OpTic Gaming and XSET have already confirmed themselves as number one and two seeds by VCT Circuit Points. The third through eighth teams in North America will now fight to be the NA LCQ teams that take last remaining spot. Here are the NA LCQ Teams that have qualified.
[Related: VALORANT Masters 2 Copenhagen Groups Stage Announced]
The Guard found themselves as one of the highest rising stars in the 2022 VCT, dominating Challengers 1 and qualifying for Masters 1. However, the lack of experience found them bombing out of Iceland and Challengers 2. Winning only one game in all of Stage 2 puts question marks on the roster, but The Guard still enter as the number one seed in the LCQ.
REYKJAVIK, ICELAND – APRIL 12: (L-R) Ha “Sayaplayer” Jung-woo, Trent “trent” Cairns and Jacob “valyn” Batio of The Guard pose for the VALORANT Masters Features Day on April 12, 2022 in Reykjavik, Iceland. (Photo by Lance Skundrich/Riot Games)
2.) FaZe Clan (75 Circuit Points)
11th in Stage 1; Third in Stage 2
FaZe did not participate in Challengers 1, but acquired the majority of Rise’s roster, earning ten points. FaZe went 3-2 in Group B of Challengers 2, narrowly missing Masters 2 Copenhagen with a 1-3 loss to XSET in the Lower Bracket Finals. This earned them 65 points, totaling 75 points and second seed going into the NA LCQ.
3.) Cloud9 (70 Circuit Points)
Third in Stage 1; Ninth in Stage 2
Cloud9 entered Challengers 1 as an invited team, missing Iceland at third place to an 0-3 sweep by The Guard. Although they would automatically qualify for Challengers 2, roster changes and an underwhelming 2-3 record in Group B would end their run. Cloud9 earned 50 and 20 points respectively for 70 points overall. They enter as the third seed, having the highest placing run in Challengers 1 and 2.
POTSDAM, GERMANY – DECEMBER 5: Cloud 9 poses on stage after a victory match at the VALORANT Champions Groups Stage on December 5, 2021 in Potsdam, Germany. (Photo by Michal Konkol/Riot Games)
4.) Shopify Rebellion (70 Circuit Points)
Fifth in Stage 1; Seventh in Stage 2
Luminosity Gaming has recently been acquired by Shopify Rebellion, carrying over all of their points. In Challengers 1, Luminosity went 3-2 in Group A, before being eliminated by XSET, earning fifth place and 35 points. Challengers 2 would see a repeat 3-2 record, but a quick exit in the playoffs by a 1-2 defeat by FaZe Clan. Earning 35 points again, Shopify now enter the NA LCQ as the fourth seed team.
5.) NRG (70 Circuit Points)
Ninth in Stage 1; Fourth in Stage 2
NRG found themselves struggling in the beginning of the 2022 VCT. A 1-4 finish in Group B eliminated them from Challengers 1 with just 15 Circuit Points. Challengers 2 saw a 2-3 record in Group A, putting them in the lower bracket of the playoffs. However, they would make it all the way to fourth place after losing 1-2 against FaZe, earning 55 points and fifth seed in the LCQ.
6.) 100 Thieves (60 Circuit Points)
Ninth in Stage 1; Fifth in Stage 2
100 Thieves struggled to find repeated success despite being directly invited to Challengers 1, going 1-4 in Group A and eliminated with 15 points. A reinvention of the roster found more success for Challengers 2, with a 3-2 finish in Group A to qualify for the playoffs. They would then drop against XSET and FaZe Clan for a fifth-place finish and 45 points, totaling 60 and sixth seed for the LCQ.
7.) Evil Geniuses (55 Circuit Points)
11th in Stage 1; Fifth in Stage 2
Evil Geniuses started out rough, being the only team to leave Challengers 1 with a 0-5 record. Earning only 10 Circuit Points, EG practiced and bettered their performance in Challengers 2 with a 3-2 Groups Stage result. However, their playoffs run would be cut short by OpTic and NRG, at fifth place and earning 45 points. Their Challengers total stands at 55 points, leaving them at seventh seed for the LCQ.
8.) Sentinels (45 Circuit Points)
Seventh in Stage 1; 11th in Stage 2
Sentinels was one of the four teams invited to Challengers 1, initially going 3-2 in the Groups Stage. However, they would drop out early to The Guard and Version1 for a seventh-place finish and 30 points. Requalifying for Challengers 2, Sentinels would bomb out at a 0-5 record, last place in Group B and earning only 15 points. Ghost Gaming, their closest competition, would fall in seventh place, leaving at 35 Circuit points in total. As such, Sentinels would become the last NA LCQ team, becoming the eighth seed for the event.
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