The journey from your desk to the biggest stages in Valorant eSports can be made in a year: via Premier or Project V into the Challenger leagues – and ultimately to the VCT.
When Valorant entered the eSports scene, Riot Games had already committed to defining a clear “Path to Pro” – the opportunity for every player to make it to the top leagues. In August 2023, this path was realized via a new game mode. Since 2025, such a meteoric rise has been possible in just one year.
All beginnings are difficult: Premier or Project V
Before someone can compete in one of Riot Games’ official leagues, they have to prove themselves in Premier. In this mode, players can create a team and compete against similarly strong opponents in weekly matches. Each season ends with a playoff bracket, with the winner moving up at least one division. A good placement in the highest division – “Invite” – qualifies for participation in one of the qualifiers.
In the DACH region, there is also an alternative to Premier: Project V. The league describes itself as the “regional circuit of the DACH region” and has existed since 2023. Performing well in the Project V Division 1 playoffs also allows you to participate in a qualifier.
Relegation to the European second division
In each qualifier, the best teams from Premier and Project V face off against the two bottom-placed teams from the top league in their region – in Germany, the Challengers DACH: Evolution. Two teams can qualify for the Challengers through the tournament.
The Challenger leagues are regional leagues that allow participants to qualify for the VCT, the Valorant Champions Tour. In the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East and Africa), there are six other leagues in addition to the Challengers DACH: Evolution for Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
About European tournaments for a chance to advance
To have a chance of being promoted to the VCT: EMEA, the best teams from all Challenger leagues play in three Challenger EMEA tournaments. The tournament series was reintroduced in 2025. The teams with the best performances over a season – nationally and internationally – compete in the Ascension tournament.
Depending on how the previous promoted teams perform, one or two spots are awarded through Ascension. The winners of Ascension are then allowed to play in the VCT: EMEA and remain in the top league for at least a year.
The system works
One team has already made it from Premier to VCT. The Korean team Sin Prisa Gaming qualified for the VCT Pacific via Ascension, proving that the promotion process as envisioned by Riot Games can work.
World Champions in their second year
Since the Valorant World Championship usually takes place before Ascension, it is not possible to become world champion in just one year. To qualify for Valorant Champions, there are also two more international tournaments to come – the Valorant Masters.
For the first Masters of the year, the VCT teams qualify via a kickoff tournament. The spots for the second event are awarded through the regular season playoffs. To participate in Champions, you again need to earn Championship points or win the playoffs of the second regular season.
All that’s needed to claim the world title is a victory at the most prestigious tournament in the Valorant cosmos. If the journey so far has only taken two years, it certainly provides the best possible foundations for the decisive moment.
