Masters London champion eliminated from Champions Shanghai: Is the VCT points system unfair?

Just weeks after lifting the Masters London trophy, Leviatán – the top Valorant team from the Americas – received devastating news: they failed to qualify for Champions Shanghai, the most prestigious tournament of the Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) year. The news sent shockwaves through the esports community, raising questions about whether the season-long points system is truly fair or creates a paradox: an international champion forced to watch the biggest event from home. Leviatán earned their spot at Masters London thanks to an impressive run in VCT Americas Stage 1, where they displayed dominant strength on their signature map Split (11-0). However, the trouble began at Kickoff – the opening stage of the season – when young star Bruno “Neon” Rodríguez was unable to play due to VCT’s age restriction (under 18). His absence cost Leviatán crucial early points, even though they later dominated Masters London. Under VCT’s points system, teams accumulate points across Kickoff, Stage 1, Stage 2, and Masters. The total determines Champions qualification. Despite winning Masters, Leviatán’s early point deficit left them with only 15 points – not enough to secure one of the 3-4 spots in the stacked Americas region. Meanwhile, rivals like NRG and G2 Esports, thanks to consistent performance across all stages, overtook them. Analysis from Esports Insider indicates that Leviatán also bears some blame. In Stage 2, despite still having a chance to climb the standings, they self-banned their best map Split and deviated from their trusted Neon-Phoenix composition to experiment. Former pro player Sliggy commented: “Leviatán dug their own grave. Banning your best map is a tactical mistake that’s hard to understand.” While the experiments may have been intended to prepare for Champions, with qualification still uncertain, it was an unnecessary gamble. The incident exposes a core issue in the VCT system: the Americas region is incredibly competitive. Even strong teams like 100 Thieves struggle to secure berths. If Leviatán were in a weaker region like China or Pacific, 15 points might have been enough. This has led experts to ask: should the Masters champion receive an automatic qualification spot for Champions, as some other major tournaments do (e.g., VCT Masters Shanghai 2026 gave a berth to the Masters Berlin champion)? Currently, Riot Games has not issued an official response. However, pressure from the community and media is mounting. If the system remains unchanged, Leviatán will need to fight harder from the very first matches of the 2027 season. This story underscores a key lesson: in esports, one great victory does not guarantee a ticket to the final destination – consistency is the true key. The lesson for teams: never underestimate any stage, never gamble on experiments when the ticket is not yet secured. And for Riot: it may be time to reconsider whether the Masters champion deserves a honorary berth, so that the biggest tournament does not miss the brightest stars.