Valorant Challengers 2025: Everything you need to know

On December 12, 2024, Riot Games announced its plans for Valorant Challengers 2025, wherein the developer and publisher of the tactical shooter said that its main goal was to enhance the connection between Challengers and the other parts of the VCT ecosystem.

This article will tell you everything you need to know about what the Path to Pro will look like in 2025.

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Valorant Challengers 2025 calendar

Valorant Challengers 2025 calendar (Image via Riot Games)

In 2025, the Valorant Challengers calendar will span the entire year, starting in January and ending in December. The VCT Ascension tournament in the four regions — Pacific, China, EMEA, and Americas — will take place in October.

Another stage will be added to ensure higher levels of competition. Two Premier promotion opportunities will be available during the year, to increase the number of occasions amateur squads get to showcase their talent on bigger stages.

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Changes to the Ascension promotion and relegation process in 2025

The following changes will be applied to Ascension teams starting with the 2025 Valorant Esports season:

• Auto-relegation will be replaced with performance-based criteria.
• Ascension term will be lowered to one year.
• International Leagues will have at most 12 teams at a time.

Promotion and Relegation for Ascension teams (Image via Riot Games)

Here are more details on the performance-based criteria:

• Extend: If an Ascension team makes it to Champions, its spot in the International League is secured for another year. In case both teams make it, the one with the better performance at Champions will retain its place. The other would have to compete in that year's Ascension to re-enter the IL.
• Fight: If an Ascension team fails to make Champions but finishes in the top 8 of their IL, it can defend its spot by competing in and winning the region's Ascension tournament.
• Relegate: If an Ascension team is in the bottom 4 of its International League, it will be relegated to its respective Challengers League. If both teams suffer this fate, two teams will be promoted instead of one from that year's Ascension tournament.

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Valorant Challengers 2025: Academy teams

The following Academy teams will take part in regional Valorant Challengers 2025 tournaments:

• Karmine Corp
• Movistar KOI
• Team Liquid
• FURIA
• Leviatan
• 2G
• Sentinels
• DetonatioN FocusMe
• DRX
• Gen.G
• Global Esports
• RRQ
• T1
• Talon Esports
• Team Secret
• ZETA DIVISION

While these teams will be ineligible to qualify for Ascension, they will provide a wholesome environment for new talent to develop. This will also ensure more resources are sent into the Challengers ecosystem from both Riot and the partner teams' ends.

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Path to Pro: From Premier to Champions

The connection between Premier and Challengers will remain unchanged, with the winner of the Invite Division making its way to Challengers. However, given the difference in duration between Premier and Challengers, teams from the former will only be promoted once every two Acts.

The following promotional structure will be followed:

Americas

Americas Premier to Challengers path (Image via Riot Games)

EMEA

EMEA Premier to Challengers path (Image via Riot Games)

Pacific

Pacific Premier to Challengers path (Image via Riot Games)

Teams that qualify for their respective leagues in Valorant Challengers 2025 will have a chance to compete in Ascension in 2025 to potentially qualify for the International Leagues and even Champions in 2026.