Everything you need to know about new Valorant EMEA Clash

Jack Stewart, Senior Editor

Last Updated: 03/02/2026

Riot Games has unveiled a brand new esports event, ‘Valorant EMEA Clash’ where VCT EMEA and Challengers teams will battle.

With the Ascension system removed, Riot has changed the opportunities for Challenger teams to reach VCT.

Instead, the best-performing Challenger teams will be able to compete for a place in the VCT EMEA Stage 2 Playoffs.

Valorant EMEA Clash doesn’t offer any qualification, but it does give both VCT and Challenger teams crucial practice.

Valorant EMEA Clash draw

After the top three VCT EMEA Kickoff Playoff teams qualify for Valorant Masters Santiago, the remaining six Playoff teams will be enterted into Clash.

Then, another six teams from the Challenger leagues will join the event to form a 12-team gauntlet.

The Top 4 teams from VCT EMEA Kickoff will earn a “bye” directly into Round 2.

Meanwhile, the remaining two VCT EMEA teams and six Challengers teams (eight total) will be placed into a randomised draw.

Those two VCT teams will be guaranteed to be placed in different brackets to ensure the tournament starts with fresh match-ups.

However, participation in Valorant EMEA Clash is optional.

Valorant’s Esports Product Manager, Tomek Borowka, explained on social media, saying:

“For clarity on team participation: we reached out to all VCT EMEA teams ahead of EMEA Clash to understand interest in playing if they don’t qualify for Masters Santiago.

“A number of teams confirmed they wouldn’t compete regardless of Kickoff outcome.”

In the situation that a team declines, the top six Kickoff teams that accepted the invitation to compete in Clash will take part in the event.

Valorant EMEA Clash format

Unlike a standard tournament, Clash will feature two simultaneous double-elimination brackets.

Though this, two separate winners will be crowned: The Alpha Champion and the Omega Champion.

Both double-elimination brackets will run simultaneously, but will then be “interconnected” from Round 2 onwards. 

Starting in Round 2, if a team loses in the Upper Bracket of Alpha, they will drop into the Lower Bracket of Omega.

The flip side is also the same; losing in the Upper Bracket of Omega will knock you into the Lower Bracket of Alpha.

Then, in the Lower Brackets, teams will be in danger of elimination from the event.

When is Valorant Clash EMEA?

Valorant EMEA Clash starts on February 19th and will conclude on February 25th.

This serves as a stopgap between the end of VCT EMEA Kickoff and the start of Masters Santiago.

Valorant was one of the most-watched esports on Twitch in 2025, and these additional events should help it climb the ranks.

Jack Stewart, Senior Editor

In my seven years of esports writing, I've introduced esports coverage to newspapers, interviewed some of the biggest names in the industry, and driven viewers mad with the puns in my YouTube scripts. I'm most proud of the latter.

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