Valorant Champions 2022 group stage: 3 must-watch matches

The largest Valorant occasion of the yr is almost upon us. A brand new world champion can be topped at Valorant Champions 2022, the culminating event of the 2022 VCT season.

Beginning August 31, 16 of the world’s finest groups will descend on Istanbul, Turkey, the place previous rivalries can be settled and new ones cast.

The groups have been divided into 4 teams, with groups competing in a double-elimination bracket to find out which two will emerge from every group and transfer on to the playoffs.

Will China be the power on the worldwide stage that they’ve been touted to be? Or will North America take again the worldwide crown?

Listed below are three Valorant Champions 2022 group stage matches you don’t need to miss.

Valorant Champions 2022 group stage: 3 most hotly-anticipated matchups

Paper Rex vs Edward Gaming

Champions is opening with a banger of a match, with APAC kings Paper Rex taking over China’s Edward Gaming. Each groups are poised on the cusp of historical past — it is a Chinese language group’s first-ever look on the world stage, whereas Paper Rex look prepared to enhance on their Copenhagen run and eventually take Asia’s first worldwide title.

EDG are additionally recent off an undefeated marketing campaign within the East Asia Final Probability Qualifier, a shocking displaying of strong fundamentals and group play.

This match would be the first time each groups have confronted one another within the VCT, and followers can be handled to a conflict of titans identified for his or her aggression. Paper Rex have already made waves with their fearless playstyle and refusal to present opponents any area to work with.

The identical could transform true for China and EDG — DAMWON Gaming’s Kim “Lakia” Jong-min has referred to as the aggression of Chinese language groups “unimaginable,” saying that anybody who performed them would “curse at them.”

EDG may be the one group Paper Rex didn’t need to face. Coming from a group that by no means appears to indicate their opponents any respect in-game, that ought to be sufficient to make anybody sit up and take discover.

Paper Rex and EDG will play one another in Group A on August 31 at 10:00 p.m. GMT+8 | 7:00 a.m. PT | 2:00 p.m. GMT.

Crew Liquid vs Leviatán

Following their win on the VCT EMEA Final Probability Qualifier, Crew Liquid look in higher form than ever. Star participant Adil “ScreaM” Benrlitom is in prime type, dropping practically 100 kills within the LCQ remaining, whereas new addition Dmitriy “dimasick” Matvienko seems to have slotted into the group completely.

On the opposite finish is Leviatán, one of many darkish horses going into the event. The group could have exited in joint-fifth place at Copenhagen, however they got here excruciatingly near beating a Fnatic squad that was one of many heavy favorites to win all of it.

Gamers like Marco “Melser” Amaro additionally placed on top-tier performances, testomony to the expertise up and down the roster.

Whereas few know what to anticipate provided that each groups have by no means performed one another earlier than, that is one matchup that guarantees to be exceedingly shut.

Crew Liquid will tackle Leviatán in Group A on September 1 at 1:00 a.m. GMT+8 | August 31, 10:00 a.m. PT | August 31, 5:00 p.m. GMT.

100 Thieves vs Fnatic

It wouldn’t be Valorant and not using a basic showdown between North America and Europe.

100 Thieves’ return to the worldwide stage sees them donning a completely totally different look, and Peter “Asuna” Mazuryk is the one acquainted face on the roster.

Nonetheless, head coach Sean Gares and Daniel “ddk” Kapadia have molded the group right into a well-oiled machine in current months, and this 100 Thieves roster ought to put all groups at Champions on discover.

In the meantime, Fnatic are hungrier than ever, having been denied the championship trophy at a number of worldwide occasions. Nikita “Derke” Sirmitev and Emir Ali “Alfajer” Beder stay one of many deadliest duos on the event, and when they’re firing on all cylinders, Fnatic are practically unbeatable.

100 Thieves will face Fnatic on September 2 at 10:00 p.m. GMT+8 | 7:00 a.m. PT | 2:00 p.m. GMT.

All matches can be broadcast dwell on the official Valorant Twitch and YouTube channels.

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