EDward Gaming (EDG) has become the second team from VCT China to qualify for VALORANT Champions 2025 in Paris.
The reigning VALORANT Champions winner has reached the required number of VCT China Points by defeating TYLOO today and reaching the region’s Stage 2 Lower Bracket Semi-Final.
In 2024, EDG became the first Chinese organisation to lift the VALORANT Champions trophy after defeating EMEA opponent Team Heretics in Seoul, South Korea.
At the start of this year’s VCT season, the team continued to play with its Championship-winning roster, winning VCT China Kickoff and placing third at Masters Bangkok in March.
However, EDG struggled during the mid-season following the departure of Hsieh ‘S1Mon’ Meng-hsun, who was replaced by Zhang ‘Jieni7’ Juntai. During Stage 1, the Chinese team failed to qualify for the second international VALORANT competition of the year, Masters Toronto.
Ahead of VCT Stage 2, EDG made another roster change by signing Zhang ‘zjc’ Juncheng as a sixth player. While experimenting with different active roster iterations, the squad managed to advance to the Stage 2 Playoffs despite a close Group Stage.
EDG’s rocky road to Champions continued in Playoffs where the team was sent to the lower bracket in its first match against Dragon Ranger Gaming (0-2). To secure 16 VCT China Points, EDG then had to eliminate Trace Esports (2-1) and TYLOO (2-0).
Which Other Teams Have Qualified for VALORANT Champions?
While EDG now has a chance to become the first back-to-back VALORANT Champions, it is not the first team to qualify for the season-ending tournament in Paris.
Thanks to its dominant regional performance, VCT Americas’ G2 Esports has already secured its Champions spot during Masters Toronto in June. Similarly, Pacific team Paper Rex and EMEA’s Fnatic have qualified through their regional VCT Point standing.
The first Chinese team to make Champions was Bilibili Gaming, which advanced to the Stage 2 Upper Bracket Final by defeating TYLOO.
However, other VCT rosters may still earn a shot at the coveted Champions trophy by finishing first or second in the regional Stage 2 competitions.
