VCT 2022 Stage 2 Masters Copenhagen preview

The second international event of the 2022 Valorant Champions tour is kicking off on July 10 in Copenhagen, Denmark. 

Twelve of the world’s best Valorant teams will battle it out for the trophy and more importantly, points that count towards qualification for Valorant Champions. With Champions being the last international event of the year and considered the world finals for Valorant, the results in Masters Copenhagen will have huge implications.

Teams qualified for Masters Copenhagen

These 12 teams qualified for the Masters Copenhagen event by finishing with the best record and winning their VCT Challengers series. The event will include:

• Three EMEA representatives in the form of FNATIC, FunPlus Phoenix, and Guild Esports
• The two best teams from the North American Challengers series: XSET and the winners of Masters Reykjavik, Optic Gaming.
• DRX, LOUD Gaming, and NORTEPTION  will defend the pride of the Korean, Brazilian, and Japanese Challengers Circuits, respectively.
• The APAC region is sending its two teams to fight for the Masters Copenhagen trophy in the form of Paper Rex and XERXIA.
• With Leviatán and KRÜ Esports being the representatives from the LATAM region.

Masters Copenhagen Format, Schedule and Groups

VCT Masters Copenhagen will play out in two parts, a group stage and a double-elimination bracket. The group stage will start on July 10th and will feature two groups of six. The four teams that finish first among their peers in the four most competitive regions, move straight to the double-elimination bracket. These include FNATIC, XSET, Paper Rex, and Leviatán. These are the top seeds from the EMEA, North America, APAC, and the top-seeded team in the group between the LATAM and BR representatives.

The remaining eight teams will have to fight their way up the lower bracket group stage, with each group consisting of a four-team double-elimination bracket, and two teams emerging from each group. These lower bracket finals and the Grand Finals will be the only five-game series, while the group stage will be a best-of-three.

Group A consists of Optic Gaming, Guild Esports, LOUD, and KRÜ Esports.

Meanwhile, Group B is composed of FunPlus Phoenix, XERXIA, and NORTHEPTION.

Masters Copenhagen preview and storylines

Optic Gaming are entering the competition as heavy favorites, looking to defend their crown from Reykjavik. Six other teams are making another run at a Masters trophy and we have five new teams making their first international appearance. Led by the IGL and strategic prowess of FNS and El Diablo’s surgical aim, Optic will look to conquer all of the teams coming to Denmark, including XSET, who they lost to.

After reaching the Grand Finals in Reykjavik, LOUD have continued their hot streak in the domestic scene without dropping a single map! A lot of eyes and expectations are on them, as the team prepares to convert their high form into Brazil’s first international title in Valorant.

The dynamic duo of f0rsaken and Jinggg look to build upon their strong performance in Iceland and push APAC champions Paper Rex over the top. With an average ACS of 250 in Reykjavik, teams will plan a lot more carefully when facing these hyper-aggressive fraggers.

Boaster, Derke, and FNATIC seem to have taken their unfortunate exit at the previous Master’s tournament to heart, propelling them to their first EMEA challengers title. With their sights set on their first international title and bolstered by the addition of the Turkish prodigy, Alfajer, they are definitely a force to be reckoned with. Apart from the title, many teams are also battling for a spot at Valorant Champions, with six of them already having secured their spot. With a strong performance, Leviatán can surpass KRÜ for the LATAM spot, meanwhile, both EMEA slots are up for grabs among the three teams. With a top-three finish, NORTEPTION will also overtake Zeta Divison for Japan’s spot.

Fan reaction, expectations, and opinions

A lot of hype has been brewing among the fan bases, with LOUDs being the loudest. Their team’s 16-map win streak is giving their fans enough reason to be upset that Leviatán skipped the group stage as the South American representative. Considering LOUD haven’t dropped a map in months and Brazil’s circuit has a lot more teams than LATAM, it’s understandable why they feel a certain way. Apart from the desire to have a live audience in Copenhagen, many fans also request a change in the format. They claim that the level of competition would be a lot higher if 16 teams participated with a double elimination just at the end of the brackets.

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