The 2025 VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) is set to begin in January with significant changes aimed at enhancing the competitive landscape. Riot Games has announced an expanded league structure, new global events, and a revised calendar that extends the season through October. Here is a cheat sheet of everything to know about the event. 

Season Overview

• Start Date: January 2025
• Expanded Leagues: Each of the four regions—EMEA, Pacific, China, and Americas—will now feature 12 teams.
• Extended Calendar: The season will run from January to October, providing better pacing and more rest periods for teams.
• Global Events: The season includes international league matches, two Masters events, and culminates with Champions Paris.

Important Dates and Kickoff Tournaments

The season kicks off with regional tournaments:

• January 11: VCT China
• January 15: VCT EMEA
• January 16: VCT Americas
• January 18: VCT Pacific

Each kickoff tournament features a 12-team double-elimination format. The top four teams from 2024 receive a bye into the second round. The top two teams from each region will advance to Masters Bangkok.

Global Events Schedule

Masters Bangkok (February 20 - March 2)

• Participants: Top two teams from each regional league.
• Format: An eight-team Swiss stage followed by a four-team double-elimination playoff.

Masters Toronto (June 7 - June 22)

• Participants: Top three teams from Stage 1 Playoffs, totaling 12 teams.
• Format: An eight-team Swiss stage, with the number one seed from each international league receiving a bye. Followed by an eight-team double-elimination playoff.

Champions Paris (September 12 - October 5)

• Participants: Top teams from Stage 2, Championship Points leaders, and global events.
• Format: Group stage with four groups of four teams each, leading into an eight-team double-elimination playoff.

What's New for 2025

1. Expanded Calendar: The season now spans ten months, allowing for better scheduling and preparation time between events.
2. Increased Matches:
   • Minimum Matches per Team: 12
   • Average Matches per Team: 18
   • Maximum Matches before Global Events: 23
3. Stage Resets: Teams will be divided into two groups of six in each stage, refreshing matchups midway through the season.
4. Playoff Expansion: Playoffs will feature an eight-team double-elimination format, providing teams with more opportunities to advance.

Championship Point System

• Broader Distribution: Points will be awarded to top-performing teams at every stage and global event.
• New Qualification Paths:
  • Two teams will qualify for Champions Paris from the Stage 2 Playoffs.
  • Two additional teams will qualify based on accumulated Championship Points.

Closing Highlights

• A total of 48 teams will compete globally throughout the season.
• Three major international events will set the stage for the world's best to clash.
• The journey to crown the next VALORANT World Champion begins in January 2025.