2024 the Valorant Champions Tour will be enriched by a league. Shortly after the Valorant release in China, the Middle Kingdom will get its own professional league
There is no question that China has huge possibilities when it comes to Valorant eSports. At least for Leo Faria, Global Head of Valorant Esport. “Proven” the Chinese community has its potential, both at fan and player level.
Million-strong audience in the middle of the night
“Chinese teams have consistently made a name for themselves at global events,” Faria said, summing up the sporting part of his view at Media Day at the Valorant Champions in Los Angeles, and backing up the fan interest with an impressive figure. One million spectators would have watched a group match of the Chinese Champions representative EDward Gaming – although it had started at three o’clock in the morning Chinese time. This engagement, he said, was something Riot wanted to reward shortly after the game’s release in China on 12 July, “officially welcoming the community to our global eSports. “
Masters in Madrid and Shanghai
But part of this step will not only be the introduction of the Chinese league. There will also be a major event in China in the first season: Shanghai will host an edition of the Valorant Masters in 2024, as Riot announced back in late July. An edition? Yes. Because from the 2024 season onwards there will be two Masters. The bid for the second edition went to the Spanish capital Madrid.
Before the Masters can be played and Chinese teams can finally compete in their full strength, however, there is still a lot to be done. An intensive selection process lies ahead for Riot to determine the ten franchises that will ultimately form the new league in the Far East.
Team selection to follow
The three Chinese Champions participants – namely EDward Gaming, Bilibili and FunPlus Phoenix – should have legitimate hopes from a sporting perspective, as they confirm Faria’s assessment of the Chinese player base. However, other aspects are also under scrutiny at Riot: “We hope that these long-term partners can share our vision, focus on long-term and sustainable development, and contribute to the overall Valorant eSports ecosystem.”
Which teams will live up to these aspirations and ultimately form the Chinese league should become clear later in the year.
