VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) unveils plans for 2024 esports season

The VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) has announced their plans for the upcoming 2024 season, which will see them introduce a number of changes and improvements to elevate Valorant for its fourth year. Next year will see a new international league, worldwide events in new locations and the expansion of development circuits to make the competition year-round.

We are extremely proud of what we have achieved this year and, in particular, how the teams have stepped up to the plate when it comes to promoting the sport and its players. We look forward to opening up even more opportunities in 2024 for the best players to shine. We will be making changes to the season design and scope of our events for better progression, which will expand the international presence and create new ways for players and fans to enjoy VALORANT.

Leo Faria, international director of VALORANT esports.

A new start to the season

2024 marks a new start to the season: an immersive two-week tournament in each international league. A total of 8 teams will emerge from this new tournament, which will compete in the first international event of the season, the Madrid Masters. The event will be the first VCT event at international level to be held in Spain and will decide which is the best team at the beginning of the year.

Challengers: continue on the road to becoming a professional

The Challengers leagues, where the aspirations of future champions are born, will continue to evolve even further in the coming year. Building on the current momentum, the Challengers leagues calendar will be extended throughout the year to offer more events in the framework of the Rank 2 competition. An innovative team affiliation and player transfer system will also be introduced in Challengers leagues, facilitating the flow of players between international leagues, Challengers and Game Changers. In addition, the new Premier mode will become the starting point to become a VALORANT professional, providing players with the possibility to access the VCT directly from the game.

Unprecedented growth and the rise of new teams.

The upcoming 2024 season is poised to redefine the highest echelons of the sport by accommodating an unprecedented number of elite teams in the highest ranks of competition. Following the conclusion of the Ascension events, three teams have emerged victorious from the Challenger leagues and have earned the right to participate in the 2024 season’s international leagues. The Guard, Gentle Mates and Bleed Esports have triumphed in a tough year of competition, thus earning a two-year promotion to the international leagues.

Celebrating change: championship points

Next year marks the beginning of a new dynamic season structure with the introduction of championship points.. Championship points, designed to enhance the high point of the season, will be the unifying mechanism for international leagues and global tournaments. They will serve to measure team performance and determine who qualifies for international events.

China’s league: the fourth official league

Competitive opportunities expand to new regions as. China joins the illustrious ranks of the Americas, EMEA and Pacific as the fourth official VCT league. This important addition is a sign of recognition of the potential and contribution of the Chinese community, as well as reflecting VALORANT’s goal to become the most international esport in the world. In addition to the new league, Shanghai will also host the second Masters event of the season, where 12 teams will battle it out for championship points to qualify for the Champions.