The scorching hot North American VALORANT scene is building toward a climactic finish now that the open qualifiers are all wrapped up heading into the final Challengers event. After the final open qualifier matches concluded on Sunday, July 26, the eight-team field for Stage Three Challengers Two was officially set in stone, as well as the first round matchups.
The eight competing teams are duking it out for four spots in the NA Challengers Playoffs in August. An impressive group of teams awaits them there in Sentinels, XSET, 100 Thieves, and Team Envy. To reach that Playoffs bracket, the teams at Challengers Two must survive their own double-elimination bracket but only need to reach the top four to move on.
There are more than just three spots at Masters Three Berlin on the line here. The remaining teams are looking to secure those all-important VCT circuit points needed to qualify for Champions or its Last Chance Qualifier at the end of the year. Half of the teams competing in Challengers Two have yet to earn any VCT points all year and the minimum 40 they could earn by reaching Challengers Playoffs could be the difference between a Last Chance Qualifier run and sitting at home.
With some exciting NA VALORANT to look forward to, here’s all the information you’ll need heading into NA VCT Stage Three Challengers Two, including the participating teams, bracket, and schedule.
Participating teams
The eight competing teams consist of the bottom four from Challengers One, as well as the four teams that qualified via the Challengers Two open qualifier. The open qualifier teams will be matched up against the teams from Challengers One in the first round.
Challengers One teams
- Gen.G Esports
- Version1
- Rise
- Kansas City Pioneers
Open qualifier teams
- FaZe Clan
- TSM
- T1
- Luminosity
Bracket
NA Stage Three Challengers Two will use a double-elimination bracket. All matches will be best-of-three series except for the grand finals, which will be a best-of-five. The top four teams will advance to the NA Challengers Playoffs. Teams will need to reach either the upper bracket final or the third round of the lower bracket to qualify.
TSM, Luminosity, Rise, and FaZe Clan have all ensure a top four finish, and will qualify for NA Challengers Playoffs.
All eight teams are also competing for a $50,000 prize pool, with $20,000 going to the first-place finisher. There are no VCT points on the line during Challengers Two.
Schedule
All times are in CT and subject to change or delays.
July 29
- Upper bracket round one
- 2pm CT: TSM 2-1 Gen.G (Gen.G 13-10 Bind, TSM 23-21 Split, TSM 13-10 Icebox)
- 2pm CT: T1 2-1 Version1 (T1 13-10 Haven, V1 13-8 Icebox, T1 13-9 Split)
- 4:30pm CT: Luminosity 2-1 Kansas City Pioneers (KCP 13-10 Icebox, LG 15-13 Ascent, LG 13-6 Split)
- 4:30pm CT: Rise 2-0 FaZe Clan (13-2 Split, 13-11 on Bind)
- 7pm CT: Lower bracket round one
- Gen.G 2-1 Version1 (Gen.G 13-8 Breeze, V1 13-11 Haven, Gen.G 13-11 Ascent)
- FaZe 2-0 Pioneers (14-12 Ascent, 13-9 Bind)
July 30
- 4pm CT: Upper bracket round two (NA Challengers Playoffs qualifying round)
- TSM 2-1 T1 (TSM 13-4 Split, T1 13-8 Icebox, TSM 13-6 Haven)
- Luminosity 2-0 Rise (LG 13-9 Ascent, LG 13-2 Icebox)
- 7:30pm CT: Lower bracket round two (NA Challengers Playoffs qualifying round)
- Rise 2-0 (13-2 Ascent, 13-11 Bind)
- FaZe Clan 2-0 T1 (13-10 Split, 13-10 Ascent)
July 31
- 2pm CT: Upper bracket final
- TSM 2-0 Luminosity (13-6 Bind, 13-7 Breeze)
- 4:30pm CT: Lower bracket round three
- FaZe 2-1 Rise (13-6 Ascent, Rise 13-10 Haven, FaZe 13-8 Bine)
- 7pm CT: Lower bracket final
- FaZe 2-0 Luminosity (14-12 Split, 14-12 Breeze)
Aug. 1
- 2pm CT: Grand finals (best-of-five)
- TSM 3-1 FaZe (FaZe 13-11 Ascent, TSM 13-6 Split, TSM 13-6 Breeze, TSM 13-2 Haven)
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