VCT Stage 2 ran through late summer 2025 across four regions. Each region's stage featured round-robin group play (12 teams split into two groups of six) with the top 8 advancing to double-elimination playoffs valorantesports.com. The playoffs winner and runner-up from each region qualify directly for Champions Paris valorantesports.com. Below is a breakdown by region, highlighting group-stage standings, standout teams, and key player stats.

Americas Stage 2

North America's Stage 2 group play has just wrapped up. Group Alpha was dominated by Sentinels, who went a perfect 5–0 with a staggering +62 round differential vlr.gg. G2 Esports finished second at 4–1 (+57) behind only a loss to Sentinels vlr.gg. Cloud9 took third (3–2, +23) while Evil Geniuses limped in

at 2–3. In Group Omega, NRG led at 4–1 (+19) vlr.gg, followed by Leviatán and 100 Thieves both 3–2 with +23 and +10, respectively. LoL giants Visa Krü, MIBR  and LOUD rounded out the group (each 2–3 or worse) vlr.gg.

• Key stats: Sentinels +62 round differential vlr.gg was by far the best in the region; FURIA (BRA) managed only +1 map and –88 rounds in Group Alpha vlr.gg. In Group Omega, LOUD's –24 differential left them last vlr.gg.
• Playoffs: The top four from each group advance to an 8-team double-elimination bracket (Aug 21–Sept 1). First-round matchups are set: Leviatán vs. Cloud9 and G2 vs. 100 Thieves vlr.gg in the upper bracket, with Sentinels and NRG awaiting in the semifinals. (Playoffs have not started as of Aug 18.)
• Champions slots: G2 and Sentinels have already locked in Champions Paris berths via circuit points esportsinsider.com. The Stage 2 finalists will also qualify directly.
• Notable performances: Throughout groups, Sentinels roster held opponents at bay with aggressive duelists (Jett/Neon) backed by Fade/Skye utility. G2's JonahP and trent combined for clutch plays in NA's most tightly contested matches.

EMEA Stage 2

Europe's Stage 2 (Berlin) just finished group play on Aug 15. In Group Alpha, Team Heretics went undefeated 5–0 with a +41 round differential vlr.gg. GiantX and BBL Esports both went 3–2 (though GiantX won a tiebreaker to finish second) vlr.gg. Team Vitality and FUT Esports split 2–3, while Ascension squad Gentle Mates went 0–5. Group Omega was topped by Team Liquid at 4–1 (+45) and Fnatic also 4–1 (+11) vlr.gg (Liquid's only loss was 13–14 to Fnatic). Natus Vincere and Karmine Corp each went 3–2 vlr.gg, with KOI and Apeks at 1–4 and 0–5, respectively.

• Key stats: Heretics +41 (148 rounds for/107 against) led all teams vlr.gg, as BBL (+21) and GiantX (–12) surprisingly traded places despite identical 3–2 records. Liquid's map differential (9–4) was the highest on the Omega side vlr.gg. Fnatic and KCorp, rich with VCT experience, kept pace with 8 maps each at 3–2.
• Playoffs: The 8-team double-elimination bracket begins Aug 21. Round 1: Fnatic vs. BBL and GiantX vs. NAVI vlr.gg. Winners face Heretics and Liquid in the U.Semi (Aug 23). Karmine Corp and Vitality (both 2–3) play elimination matches on Aug 22 vlr.gg.
• Champions slots: By circuit rules, the Stage 2 champion and runner-up both qualify for Champions Paris liquipedia.net. Fnatic's high Championship Points leaderboard position suggests they may qualify even without a Stage 2 title. Team Heretics and Team Liquid, both Masters event winners in 2025, are expected to be favorites, though their final fates await the outcome of playoffs.

Pacific Stage 2

The Asia-Pacific Stage 2 (Seoul/Tokyo) has concluded group play and most of the playoffs. Group Alpha was won by DRX at 4–1 (+21) vlr.gg, with RRQ, Nongshim RedForce and Gen.G all 3–2 tightly bunched (RRQ +10, NSF +11, Gen.G +25) vlr.gg. Group Omega leaders were Paper Rex 4–1 (+18) and TALON 3–2 (+31) vlr.gg, followed by T1 and DetonatioN FocusMe each 3–2. ZETA was 2–3 and BOOM 0–5.

• Key stats: DRX's +21 (123 rounds for/102 against) came despite their only group loss to TALONvlr.gg. TALON's +31 was the largest in either groupvlr.gg. Paper Rex's group-stage +18 was tempered by a rare map loss (to T1). BOOM's 0–5 left them winless, –51 differentialvlr.gg.
• Playoffs and results: Playoffs began Aug 13. In the upper bracket, Talon swept Nongshim and T1 swept RRQvlr.gg. In the U.Semis, Talon beat DRX 2–1, Paper Rex beat T1 2–0vlr.gg. The Upper Final saw Paper Rex sweep Talon 2–0vlr.gg, earning PRX a spot in the Grand Final. In the lower bracket, RRQ eliminated Gen.G (2–1), DRX (2–0) and then T1 (2–1)vlr.gg. As of Aug 18, RRQ will play Talon in the Lower Final. (The Grand Final between PRX and the LB winner is Aug 31.)
• Key matches: Paper Rex vs. Talon: PRX took a tight Haven 13–11 and then won Bind 13–7vlr.gg vlr.gg. RRQ vs. T1: RRQ won Icebox 13–7 and then prevailed in double OT on Haven 15–13 vlr.gg, with RRQ's Cypher specialist Jemkin leading his team with 52 kills (1.23 rating) in that series vlr.gg.
• Champions slots: Pacific has four slots. Three teams – RRQ, T1 and PRX – have already qualifiedvlr.gg vlr.gg. The fourth spot will be decided by the Lower Final: if Talon beats PRX (i.e. finishes top‑2), Talon qualifies; if not, DRX gets the spot via pointsvlr.gg vlr.gg.
• Standout players: “something” of PRX had a monster performance in the Upper Final (42 kills, 243 ACS)vlr.gg. Jinggg (PRX) and f0rsakeN (PRX) each had big games, as did Jemkin (RRQ) on Cypher (52 kills total)vlr.gg. Talon's rookie Killua dropped 20 kills in the decider vs. DRX vlr.gg. DRX's Hyunmin (68 kills in group, 41 in a match vs. Talon) and DFM's veteran Meiy (274 ACS over groups) also turned heads on stats sheets (see VLR stats pages). Tactically, PRX leaned on double-duelist (Jett/Raze) compositions and Yoru picks vlr.gg, while RRQ favored Cypher/Waylay defenses against Double Duelists vlr.gg.

China Stage 2

China's Stage 2 (Shanghai/Chongqing) group stage finished Aug 3. In Group Alpha, Bilibili Gaming led 4–1 (+41)vlr.gg, followed by EDward Gaming, TYLOO and Trace Esports all 3–2 (TYLOO +13)vlr.gg. Group Omega was won by XiLai Gaming 4–1 (+30)vlr.gg, then All Gamers 3–2 (+28), Dragon Ranger 3–2, and FPX 3–2; Nova and Wolves went 1–4.

• Key stats: BLG's +41 was by far the best in group playvlr.gg. DRG's 165/152 (+13) rounds was high offense, despite losing their only defeat to a tie-break rule. TYLOO's 118/105 (+13) was the stingiest defense. Wolves –48 differential left them lastvlr.gg.
• Playoffs (Aug 9–24): In the Upper Quarterfinals, Dragon Ranger shocked EDward Gaming 2–0, and TYLOO beat All Gamers 2–0vlr.gg. In the Lower Bracket Round 1, EDward eliminated Trace Esports 2–1 and All Gamers edged FPX 2–1vlr.gg. (XiLai and BLG will join the bracket in the Upper Semifinals on Aug 20.) The top two finishers in playoffs will qualify for Champions Paris.
• Notable players: EDward's youngster Nobody (Iman) has been climbing the scoreboard, while XiLai's Rarga and All Gamers Spitfires are high on circuit points. FPX (China Masters winners) surprisingly went 3–2 in group but must now fight through the bracket. BLG's Knight and TYLOO's Sword9 have been key in keeping their teams points hopes alive.

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