The VCT EMEA Stage 2 Challengers group stage is in its final week. Some teams have discovered newfound success after roster changes, while others are in an unexpected slump that has left them out of the playoffs.
Fnatic’s roster revamp after Masters Reykjavik 2022 has paid off handsomely, with the European squad securing a perfect 4-0 record in the group stage so far. Turkish newcomer Emir Ali “Alfajer” Beder has emerged as one of the best players in the EMEA region. The 16-year-old currently has the highest Average Combat Score (ACS) in the tournament at 278.6, according to vlr.gg.
Rounding out Group A’s qualified teams for the playoffs are FunPlus Phoenix and Acend, both with 3-1 records. Acend’s two new players, Vakaris “vakk” Bebravičius and Ondřej “MONSTEERR” Petrů, have helped revitalize the Valorant Champions 2021 winning squad with fresh ideas and new blood.
Over in Group B, Guild Esports are the top seed with a perfect 4-0 record. Right behind them are Team Liquid, who have secured the second spot in the playoffs with a 3-1 record.
The third playoffs spot in Group B is still up for grabs between M3 Champions (formerly known as Gambit Esports) and BIG. M3C currently sit at a 2-2 record and are set to face Team Liquid in the last week of the group stage.
To avoid a potential tiebreaker with BIG and secure the final spot in their group, the Masters Berlin 2021 champions will need to win their match against Team Liquid.
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Full list of teams qualified for VCT EMEA Stage 2 Challengers playoffs
| STANDING | TEAM | GROUP | MATCH RECORD (W-L) | MAP RECORD (W-L) | ROUND DIFFERENTIAL |
| 1st | Fnatic | A | 5 — 0 | 145 — 86 | +59 |
| 2nd | Acend | A | 4 — 1 | 136 — 138 | -2 |
| 3rd | FunPlus Phoenix | A | 3 — 2 | 133 — 106 | +27 |
| 1st | Guild Esports | B | 4 — 1 | 153 — 123 | +30 |
| 2nd | Team Liquid | B | 4 — 1 | 141 — 120 | +21 |
| 3rd | M3 Champions | B | 2 — 3 | 104 — 112 | -8 |
Here are the six qualified teams that have secured their spots at the Stage 2 Challengers playoffs, which are set to begin on June 17. The top three teams from the playoffs will qualify for VCT Stage 2 Masters Copenhagen in July.
The playoffs will see the six qualified teams compete in a double-elimination bracket. The top seeds from each group will receive a bye to the second round of the upper bracket.
All matches will be best-of-three series, except for the lower final and grand final, which will be best-of-five.
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