VALORANT Champions 2025 Playoffs preview: Track by track toward the trophy?

After a extremely aggressive Group Stage full of shut comebacks and sudden underdog victories, VALORANT Champions 2025 is heading into the Playoffs.

Between September twenty fifth and October fifth, eight groups (3 EMEA, 3 Americas, 2 Pacific) will struggle by a double-elimination bracket to raise the Champions trophy. Whereas the likes of Fnatic and Paper Rex goal so as to add one other worldwide trophy to their assortment, underdogs resembling GIANTX and NRG search to proceed their miracle runs.

Earlier than the playoffs kick off, Esports Insider takes a deep dive into the VALORANT Champions 2025 Playoffs bracket to look at which roster may win all of it.

The VALORANT Champions 2025 Playoffs will kick off September twenty fifth at 2 PM BST with a extremely anticipated collection between VCT Pacific’s Paper Rex (PRX) and VCT Americas group G2 Esports.

Each rosters have received Stage 2 occasions of their respective area. G2, particularly, has been a dominant power in its VCT league, securing each single regional title all through this 12 months.

Nonetheless, G2 has by no means received a worldwide trophy. PRX, then again, has already confirmed itself on the worldwide stage with its latest victory at Masters Toronto.

PRX has had a convincing Group Stage debut at Champs, defeating Group A opponents XLG Esports (2-0) and GIANTX (2-1). Group D’s G2 suffered a stunning upset by the hands of Crew Heretics (0-2) and needed to persevere towards Dragon Ranger Gaming (2-0) and T1 (2-0) to qualify. 

The one doable benefit G2 might have heading into the match-up versus PRX is that the Pacific group has not but been examined on Corrode and Abyss all through the Group Stage.

Nonetheless, PRX ought to be barely favoured on this collection since its particular person gamers have showcased higher consistency and flexibility to this point.

The second Playoffs match tomorrow might be between VCT EMEA legend Fnatic and Pacific underdog DRX. 

That is an attention-grabbing match-up, as simply trying on the names, some may view Fnatic because the clear favorite. In any case, this group is among the many few that have already got two worldwide titles below its belt whereas sustaining its regional dominance for a number of years. 

Nonetheless, following its second-place finishes on the Esports World Cup and Masters Toronto, Fnatic had a big downfall in EMEA’s Stage 2 Playoffs. At Champions Paris, the roster received its Group B matches versus Rex Regum Qeon (2-0) and MIBR (2-1), albeit not with out struggles. Its new double-sentinel group composition, that includes Vyse and Sage, won’t be as efficient going into the Playoffs.

DRX has additionally had its justifiable share of challenges all through the 2025 season, however now seems to be revitalised on the stage in Paris. The idea behind its double-duelist group composition and the synergy between Track ”HYUNMIN‘ Hyun-min’s Waylay and Cho ‘Flashback‘ Min-hyuk’s Yoru are harder to navigate than Fnatic’s set methods.

Until Fnatic comes extremely prepped with improved strategic depth, DRX ought to have the higher hand on this match-up.

VCT EMEA’s Crew Heretics versus the Americas’ group MIBR will happen on September twenty sixth as a part of the second aspect of the Playoffs bracket. With out giants, resembling G2 Esports and Paper Rex, inside this group, groups are arguably extra prone to make deep match runs if the organisations can get off to begin. In the end, Crew Herectics may very well be one of many fortunate winners of the Playoffs draw.

Like Fnatic, Heretics’ efficiency tanked throughout EMEA’s Stage 2 Playoffs, leading to debates in regards to the roster’s consistency and talent to compete below strain. On prime of that, the Spanish organisation was a part of probably the most stacked group in the course of the Champions Group Stage. This makes its undefeated Group D run much more spectacular, as Heretics first defeated G2 (2-0) after which Masters Bangkok champion T1 (2-0), all with out trying considerably challenged. 

MIBR’s rise to the Playoffs occurred similarly, because the Brazilian group didn’t even qualify for the Stage 2 Playoffs in its area. Nonetheless, at Champions, MIBR defied expectations by upsetting China’s Stage 2 champion Bilibili Gaming (2-0) and later dominating within the decider match towards Rex Regum Qeon (2-0).

Nonetheless, MIBR’s solo Waylay has restricted entry energy and at instances depends on considerably predictable set performs.

Until Heretics makes one other large fumble like in Stage 2, MIBR may have a troublesome time in its first Playoffs collection.

September twenty sixth will proceed with a collection between two darkish horses that certified for Champions 2025 solely by a second-place end of their respective regional Stage 2 tournaments.

VCT Americas’ NRG versus EMEA’s GIANTX is a match-up of underdogs, but additionally of rookie gamers. Whereas NRG is spearheaded by 2023 Champions winner Ethan ‘Ethan’ Arnold, three of its members made their worldwide debut below the NRG banner this 12 months. The identical applies to GIANTX, whose rookies are led by 2023 Champions attendee, Kirill ‘Cloud’ Nekhozhin.

Noteworthy can be that each Ethan and Cloud are pretty inexperienced in-game leaders (IGLs) and have acquired steering of their new roles from their stellar teaching workers, together with Malkolm ‘bonkar’ Rench (NRG) and Daniil ‘pipsoN’ Meshcheryakov, in addition to Jan ‘wayLander’ Rahkonen (GIANTX). NRG’s and GIANTX’s coaches have had a big influence on the calling type of their IGLs and on mid-game changes following timeouts.

What may set NRG aside is that Ethan and his group have displayed constant enchancment all through Stage 2 and Champs, notably relating to the roster’s attack-side macro gameplay. In the meantime, the standard of Cloud’s calling has been inconsistent at instances, leaving GIANTX to rely extra closely on particular person performances.

The results of this collection may come right down to a coin flip, however this coin appears barely biased in favour of NRG.

The latest Playoffs draw has blessed VALORANT followers with extremely shut match-ups, permitting a few of the less-experienced groups on the second aspect of the Playoffs to succeed in excessive placements at Champions 2025.

As well as, the decrease bracket is assured to characteristic a few of the greatest names within the present VALORANT esports scene. For viewers, this implies entertaining matches all through upper- and lower-bracket runs. 

On the similar time, such shut match-ups are additionally difficult to foretell, as demonstrated by the numerous incorrect Group Stage Decide’Ems. Contemplating the latest Group Stage performances, PRX and G2 stay the 2 favourites of the match. Nonetheless, the hole between these two and rising stars, resembling NRG and GIANTX, is closing. 

Statistically, Crew Heretics — and particularly Mert ‘Wo0t’ Alkan — usually performs worse throughout Playoffs in comparison with the roster’s Group Stage showings. Due to this fact, Crew Heretics might battle to persevere by such a stacked bracket.

In the meantime, groups like Fnatic, DRX and MIBR possible lack the strategic depth and flexibility to outlive towards well-prepared opponents.

In the long run, this author believes it’s between NRG and GIANTX in relation to difficult the large two on the prime. Though the groups’ Decrease Bracket Ultimate victory towards a well-oiled G2 is unlikely, their rookie rosters have already shocked viewers with their firepower and flexibility on VALORANT’s greatest stage.

Lastly, it ought to be famous that G2 has been the occasion favorite for each single worldwide competitors of 2025 to this point and has but to reside as much as these expectations. Consequently, by placing religion in G2’s earlier worldwide outcomes, the logical conclusion is to say that Paper Rex, track-by-track, will attain the very prime of the Champions podium.

To search out out which group will find yourself lifting the VALORANT Champions 2025 trophy, followers can tune into the video games through VCT’s official YouTube and Twitch channels.