The 2022 VCT EMEA Stage 1 Challengers event is back once again. Unlike its first iteration in 2021, there are slight changes to this year’s event where it will feature 12 teams instead of 8. It will also split participants into two groups and host the challengers playoffs in the same event.

Participants consists of 4 invited teams who performed strongly in 2021, while the remaining participants came from one of four EU, one of two TR, or one of two CIS closed qualifiers. This means we need an all new power rankings structure. We went ahead and split all teams into three distinct tiers. Each tier consists of four teams in descending order from C to A.

Check out the rankings below.

12. BIG

BIG have been widely successful in smaller tournaments, dominating the German region with multiple back-to-back wins in the Kingdom Calling events. However, the team lacks success in the wider domestic stage. Bringing on two members at the end of 2020, this event is the first time BIG has qualified to the main VCT Challenger event. While the team has improved, the strength of the team remains difficult to judge.

11. BLL Esports

BLL Esports were initially one of the top forces in Turkey. However, the team failed to recover following a disappointing 7-th – 8th place showing in the 2021 VCT EMEA Stage 2 Challenger Finals, even placing last place in their regional VCT stage 3 competition. Since then, the team has brought on two new players, one of which will now act as the team’s new in-game leader. Due to BLL’s lack luster recent performance and uncertain future, the team ranks lowly compared to their competition.

10. LDN UTD

LDN are a small organization having limited success in minor Valorant tournaments in 2021. While LDN UTD had failed to qualify for VCT event in the past, following a major roster overhaul keeping only one of their existing members in early October, the team quickly improved. This reflected with a top half finish in the Red Bull Home Ground #2. While by no means one of the favorites, LDN position themselves as a budding force and one of the better C tier teams.

9. Natus Vincere

While a big name in esports, Natus Vincere has been more lowkey in Valorant. The team initially signed the “Worst Players” roster. The team competed in the 2021 VCT EMEA Stage 3 Challenger Playoffs but had unfortunately run into Acend early on, knocking them to the lower bracket before being eliminated by Giants in a narrow full Bo3 series. While the team have taken down Team Liquid in the past, the inexperience of their players in the larger stage does place them at a disadvantage.

Natus Vincere

8. FunPlus Phoenix

FunPlus Phoenix have consistently been a top European team. However, like other B / mid tier teams, FPX have struggled to perform in the wider EMEA stage. While the team have made two recent picJCps before the start of 2022, both members despite having past success have been on a slope. This risky roster strategy may either catapult the team to success or fade into ordinariness

7. Guild Esports

Guild Esports is regarded as one of the stronger teams in EU by consistently finishing in the top 3 for VCT Europe Challenger level events. However, while the team had decent domestic performance, Guild Esports struggled against teams from the wider EMEA region. This prompted the team to make some drastic changes at the start of 2022, swapping out more than half their roster with three new members; Koldamenta, Russ and Trexx. This positions them as a team to keep an eye out for, while the team may start off slow, all three recent roster additions have all had their own fair share of success.

6. SuperMassive Blaze

SuperMassive Blaze found success immediately despite only being founded mid 2021 in Stage 3 of VCT. The team only fell behind Gambit Esports, a world class top two team, in the VCT EMEA Stage 3 Challenger Playoffs. However, the team made a risky decision to bring on three new members in an effort push towards being a top world class team following a disappointing finish (9th – 10th) in the Berlin Masters. With two of the new picJCps coming from Oxygen Esports, a top Turkish team, SuperMassive Blaze are well positioned to take on Stage 1.

5. Fnatic

Fnatic have had a mixture of high highs and low lows. The team initially struggled until the second 2021 VCT Europe Stage 2 event, where they unexpectedly finished first with a strong streak of matches. This continued on, placing as runners up in both the 2021 VCT EMEA Stage 2 Challenger Finals and Masters Reyjavik. Unfortunately, Fnatic were unable to maintain this streak of strong performance despite making no roster changes heading into Stage 3 of 2021. However, their strong performance in Stage 2 earnt them qualification to compete in Champions, where they were knocked out in the quarterfinals, finishing in the upper half of the competition. While an overall solid team, Fnatic lack the consistency and dominance of other A tier teams.

Fnatic | Jake “Boaster” Howlett

4. G2 Esports

G2 Esports have had widely varying levels of success. Being a behemoth in esports, the G2 Esports lineup had found early success when they first started. While the team easily qualified for the VCT Europe Challenger events, they struggled deeply, failing to qualify for the stage 1 and 2 Masters events. This led the team to reform their roster, bringing on three new members in the middle of 2021. The team quickly improved by finishing 2nd in the VCT Europe Challenger 3 event, and later securing a strong top 4 finish in the Berlin Masters. However, while G2 Esports does hold a strong top 4 finish in a recent global Masters event, the team’s past inconsistencies coupled by getting knockout in the 2022 VCT Europe Closed qualifiers 1 places them below the best A tier teams.

3. Team Liquid

While Team Liquid had a slow start to 2021, the team rapidly improved after heading into Stage 2 of VCT. Following a first-place finish in the 2021 VCT EMEA Stage 2 Challenger Finals, the team have repeatedly proved themselves as a top world class team, with top 4 finishes in the Masters in Reyjavik and Valorant Champions 2021. Considering the team made a roster change in September and still maintained a strong performance so closely to Champions, it suggests the team can only improve heading into 2022.

2. Gambit Esports

Gambit Esports are not only a top performing team, but have had one of the most consistent performances being able to completely dominate the CIS region. While some initially doubted Gambit despite their amazing domestic performance, they proved doubters wrong with a first-place finish in the VCT Stage 3 Berlin Masters and a narrow second place finish in Valorant Champions 2021. Unsurprisingly, the team have also refrained from making any roster changes given their well established strength.

1. Acend

Acend is without a doubt an A class team being the defending Valorant Champions of 2021. Aside from an unfortunate run in the 2021 VCT Europe Challenger 2 event, getting knock out with two overtime games, Acend is a widely consistent top performing roster. Coming as little surprise, Acend have decided to retain their world championship roster. Given the roster’s past success, while there is no assurance of future dominance, we can expect a solid strong performance from Acend.