Champion Hopefuls: Valorant VCT EMEA Last Chance Qualifier Tournament Preview

19 Jun

Foo Zen-Wen

What would you do if you had one shot?

The VCT EMEA Last Chance Qualifier is about to begin. 6 teams face off for one final shot at making Champions 2023. There are two slots, and six teams facing off. Blood will be inevitable in this exciting clash of Valorant’s most competitive Tier 1 league. The tournament is set to begin at 1600 BST on the 19th of July and will run until the 23rd of July. Over the next five days, we’ll get to see the final war cries of most of these teams for the year, setting up the upcoming matches as highly anticipated battles in which hope is desperately kept aflame and tears will flow.

Meet the Teams (VCT EMEA LCQ)

Originally, 7 teams were meant to participate in the Last Chance Qualifier, however, due to the tragic passing of Karel “Twisten” Ašenbrener, they have decided to withdraw from the competition (announced on the 22nd of June). This leaves 6 teams to compete in a far simpler format than likely originally intended. The teams that are set to compete are as followed:

Natus Vincere

Kyrylo “ANGE1” Karasov
Mehmet “cNed” Yağız İpek
Dmitry “SUYGETSU” Ilyushin
Andrey “Shao” Kiprsky
Pontus “Zyppan” Eek

Giants Gaming

Adolfo “Fit1nho” Gallego
Aaro “hoody” Peltokangas
Žygimantas “nukkye” Chmieliauskas
Emir “rhyme” Muminovic
Kirill “Cloud” Nehozhin

Team Heretics

Wassim “keloqz” Cista
Óscar “mixwell” Cañellas Colocho
Auni “AvovA” Chahade
Ričardas “Boo” Lukaševičius
Benjy “benjyfishy” David Fish

KOI

Jose “koldamenta” Luis Aranguren Herrero
Bogdan “Sheydos” Naumov
Nikita “trexx” Cherednichenko
Berkant “Wolfen” Joshkun
Patryk “starxo” Kopczyński

BBL Esports

Ali “AsLanM4shadoW” Osman Balta
Doğukan “QutionerX” Dural
Mehmet “Turko” Özen
Eren “Brave” Kasırga
İbrahim “SouhcNi” Sağır
Hüseyin “aimDLL” Kabişteke

Karmine Corp

Nabil “Nivera” Benrlitom
Adil “ScreaM” Benrlitom
Ryad “Shin” Ensaad
Alexandre “xms” Forté
Ahmed “ZE1SH” El Sheikh

VCT EMEA LCQ Format

As mentioned, the LCQ tournament will run over the course of five days. Each day, the first match will begin at 1900 CEST. The bracket will include an Opening Round bracket with the bottom four seeded teams. This portion of the tournament will be single elimination, meaning a single misstep could mean it for the team’s year. Making it through the Opening Round will set the two surviving teams on a collision course with NA’VI and Giants, who await the victors in the Upper Bracket Semi Finals.

This portion of the tournament is double elimination. All matches (excluding Lower Finals and Grand Finals) will be played in Bo3. The remaining two series are set to be Bo5s. Thanks to Fnatic’s victory at VCT Masters: Tokyo, EMEA has received a second slot in the LCQ, meaning two of the six teams will be able to make it through to Champions 2023. Newest Valorant agent Deadlock has been announced to be unavailable for this tournament.

Catch all the games live on Twitch. Riot has also announced the tournament will be broadcasted in 14 different language. All streams will be available for access via valorantesports.com/live. (Riot Official Post on EMEA LCQ)

Later on, Strafe Esports will release a coverage of the pre-tournament press conference, so stay tuned. Follow all things Valorant esports related on Strafe Esports.

Credit: Hara Amorós / Riot Games / LVP / lag // Valorant EMEA