The VALORANT Challengers North and East leagues for the UK and Europe have merged into a new league, set to be run by esports tournament organiser Mistgamesgg in 2025.
As a result, the newly-formed VALORANT Challengers North//East league will expand to 24 teams and use an all-new format.
The expansion to 24 teams aims to ensure countries located in North and East Europe are represented at each stage of the competition, organisers said. Alongside the expansion, Mistgamesgg has revealed ‘The Mountain,’ a new format aiming to create a “more open and competitive environment” for players across the region to showcase their skills.
Qualifications for the first stage of the North//East league begins in January 2025 where the top four from Eastern Europe and the top two from the North last-chance qualifier book their places in the league. The last-chance qualifier will feature the six teams that didn’t qualify for the ECLIPSE playoffs that took place earlier this year.
Alongside qualifiers for the league, teams initially set to compete in the 2025 Challengers North will receive direct invitations to the North//East league in addition to a ‘selection of East teams’ based on their standings from Split 2. Any remaining slots for the East region will be awarded to the best-performing free-agent teams.
The creation of the North//East League for European VALORANT will result in the end of the ECLIPSE league and the VALORANT EAST: UNITED competition while the organiser evaluates the potential for future regional competitions to take place.
Founded in 2022, Mistgamesgg is no stranger to operating VALORANT Challengers tournaments. Throughout 2024, it has hosted the Polaris league for teams competing in Northern Europe.
The second tier of the VALORANT esports circuit continues to attract a number of tournament organisers and sponsors. In February, insurance company HanseMerkur became the naming partner for the VALORANT Challengers DACH league.
Riot Games’ tactical shooter also continues to attract interest from outside of the esports industry. In October, Italian football club Parma Calcio 1913 expanded into the esport with the unveiling of a women’s team.
