The second wave of Valorant Challenger Leagues has arrived, as EMEA gets its VCLs underway. At the time of publishing, only Spain and East have begun their regular seasons.

EMEA encapsulates the most VCLs after Pacific. The region has maintained every one of its 2022 VRL regions, splitting the Spain league — which previously was the only VRL for Portugal and Italy — in order to create an Italian and Portuguese VCL, increasing the total number to nine leagues.

Of the nine leagues, MENA is the only one with information publicly unavailable at the time of publishing.

VCL Northern Europe: Polaris

Northern Europe is, despite having the least organizations (only two out of eight teams are signed to an organization), one of the leagues with the highest skill ceiling. Polaris is only carrying over three teams from its 2022 season: who cars? who cars? Europe Rank #191 fexayy mishu Julius Thorslund Kyhl Klusia Jonas Colkær Thomsen Nille Nichlas Busk sunshine Benjamin Hornshøj Nielsen , Human Tripwires Human Tripwires Inactive Dev0 Corey Brame MaximN Maxim Nonglaire ReQz Hieu Moss chanformer Joshua Chan Bully Francisco Betancourt , and HSDIRR HSDIRR Inactive Ale Alend Khalaf vicious Benjamin Guilotte lyNxi Felix Björklund Meddo Johan Renbjörk Lundborg freddan (previously KOVA KOVA Inactive Supmah Hampus Svensson JESMUND Jesse Terävä Ale Alend Khalaf vicious Benjamin Guilotte shéd Jani Marjanen ). FOKUS FOKUS Europe Rank #30 hoody Aaro Peltokangas YaBoiLewis Lewis Hughes Mistic James Orfila al0rante Felix Brandl xuss Tselmeg Tsolmon — after their offseason changes that added KPZET and Lime from Denmark and the UK, respectively — are now operating in Northern Europe instead of DACH and have also been invited.

Finally, Promod (the Polaris organizers) have also extended invitations to bonk bonk Inactive juseu Elric Belland — whose newest roster includes players from several VRLs, among which are ex-FPX stand-in SEIDER and former Guild member bonkar — and Apeks Apeks Europe Rank #4 florescent Ava Eugene hype Tautvydas Paldavicius MOLSI Michał Łącki AvovA Auni Chahade batujnax Mehmet Batu Özaslan , which have united former FNATIC players MAGNUM , Mistic and Enzo with former FPX player ShadoW .

The final two slots were earned by VAMONOS VAMONOS Europe Rank #108 — a roster comprising of former Alliance players Nille and Zik , as well as former who cars? player sunshine — and Les Petits Bouffons Les Petits Bouffons Inactive vong Vong Nguyen Luzuh Joseph Loose KRAY Calum Knight Russ Russel Mendes L1NK Travis Mendoza , a roster hosting a multitude of British talent in L1NK , Luzuh (ex-MOUZ and Rix.GG), Russ (ex-Guild) and KRAY (ex-TENSTAR).

2023 is stacked. Get familiar with the teams 👇

🔵@ApeksValorant
🔵@FOKUSValorant
🔵@BonkValorant
🔵@WhoCars_Val
🔵@HSDIRRval
🔵@HumanTripWires
🔵VAMONOS
🔵@LePetitBouffons

VALORANT Challengers Northern Europe: Polaris returns next Monday at 6pm CET.
11:54 AM · Jan 10, 2023 ·
8 ·
158

VCL Spain: Rising

Spain's VCL has suffered little changes when compared to the 2022 VRL. It's one of just four 10-team leagues, keeping most of its 2022 talent. Notably, Giants Gaming Giants Gaming Inactive Redgar Igor Vlasov Fit1nho Adolfo Gallego nukkye Žygimantas Chmieliauskas hoody Aaro Peltokangas Cloud Kirill Nehozhin , KOI KOI Europe Rank #29 grubinho Grzegorz Ryczko sheydos Bogdan Naumov Filu Dawid Czarnecki flyuh Xavier Carlson soulcas Dom Sulcas , and Team Heretics Team Heretics Europe Rank #1 MiniBoo Dominykas Lukaševičius Wo0t Mert Alkan RieNs Enes Ecirli benjyfishy Benjamin David Fish Boo Ričardas Lukaševičius have moved up in the competitive ecosystem and are now partnered organizations in the VCT, leaving their slots vacant for the 2023 VCL. Arctic Arctic Inactive have also apparently exited the scene, remaining teamless after dropping their 2022 roster.

Two of those four slots have been filled by AYM Esports AYM Esports Inactive Pando Michel Michel del Castillo DRK Gabriel Lorenzo and Falcons Falcons Inactive synsi Jere Virtanen eXerZ Miguel Marín KILLDREAM João Ferreira Guardy Antonio Guardiola circu Fernando Puerta Jimenez . Both organizations are owned and backed by Spanish football players — Aymeric Laporte and César Azpilicueta, respectively. The former have hired Circuito Tormenta players, the second tier of Valorant in Spain, while the latter have gone bigger with names such as eXerZ , KILLDREAM and synsi . The remaining two slots have been filled by smaller Spanish organizations Zeta Gaming Zeta Gaming Inactive Saiz Daniel Ruiz RAYZZ Alejandro Montaner Roig circu Fernando Puerta Jimenez Chechuu Jesús Díaz ease Manuel López and Ramboot Club Ramboot Club Europe Rank #105 Chadi Farsang Balázs Faska José Antonio kyrrz Álvaro Reyes Rexs José Jaramago neptuNo Alberto González .

The final, tenth slot, belongs to jonba 's KPI Gaming KPI Gaming Europe Rank #218 zeddy Nikolai Lapko l0udly Marius Žilinskas pyrolll Artur Minin 7ssk7 Artur Kurshin basya Branislav Koritca . The league has managed to retain most of its talent, barring some players leaving for the VCT or other VCLs. At the same time, notable imports include H1ber ( Team Queso Team Queso Inactive mezoky Boom Daniel Jiménez ), saiko ( Movistar Riders Movistar Riders Inactive Nixerino Nicolás Canellas Colocho YuNo Eloy García Vorwenn Tomas Baldrich Blastinho Miquel llombart Pando ), and shéd ( Ramboot Club Ramboot Club Europe Rank #105 Chadi Farsang Balázs Faska José Antonio kyrrz Álvaro Reyes Rexs José Jaramago neptuNo Alberto González ).

🔥Con estos equipazos dará comienzo la #VALORANTRising x MediaMarkt Intel MAÑANA.

¿Con quién vais vosotros?

📆Domingo 8 de enero
⏰16:30
📺Twitch.tv/lvpes2
9:00 AM · Jan 7, 2023 ·
3 ·
21

VCL France: Revolution

VCL France, unlike Spain, is a 10-team VCL that is pulling most of its talent from the region it encapsulates. Team Vitality Team Vitality Europe Rank #2 trexx Nikita Cherednichenko Derke Nikita Sirmitev Kicks Kimmie Laasner Sayf Saif Jibraeel Less Felipe de Loyola Basso and Karmine Corp Karmine Corp Europe Rank #164 saadhak Matias Delipetro Avez Hazem Khaled Elite Efe Teber SUYGETSU Dmitry Ilyushin marteen Martin Pátek have left for the VCT, and several names have dropped out of the running altogether: OG OG Inactive KONEQT Cista Adel uNKOE Benjamin Chevasson OniBy Theo Tarlier fxy0 Joey Schlosser LaAw Mathieu Plantin , Team BDS Team BDS Inactive bramz Bayram Ben Redjeb , Valar Morghulis Valar Morghulis Inactive Killu Vieillard Giovanni NRK Pedretti Charles uNKOE Benjamin Chevasson LeeN Adam Caillol LaAw Mathieu Plantin , and MAD Lions MAD Lions Inactive KRAY Calum Knight are no longer in the French scene.

These gaps have been filled by organizations exclusively from the region: HEET HEET Inactive Kinguyen Nguyen Thach memset Laurent Werly b2kk Sofian Delimi Monstrum Jake Byrne waddle Wadir Taraki , 3DMAX 3DMAX Inactive BaWaN Loic Martello CyvOph Clement Millard Davidp David Prins , Zerance Zerance Europe Rank #28 YAYAX Yael Hountondji thebigfiz Julien Auberton Babax Baptiste Bertrand Ooriime Paul Gouin lux9 Lucas Danna , Team Valiant Team Valiant Europe Rank #13 Veqaj Sylvain Pattyn Anq Ilya Matyash NeskaaS Sohan Bessassa Goaster Tony Richard Juskay , Joblife Joblife Europe Rank #10 starxo Patryk Kopczynski AKUMAAAAA Alex Lo Bello UNFAKE Bartosz Bernacki Jesse Adam Čtvrtníček wackie Rikardo Birjukov and SBG SBG Inactive APO Tom Bonnion stand-in TakaS Jonathan Paupard logaN Logan Corti Wailers Wailers Locart beyAz Beyazit Körpe nataNk Nathan Bocqueho . New and old rosters have mostly pulled from the region's pre-existing talent pools, hosting just eight imports, among them former OGLU player hype .

France has been a notable source of talent for the EMEA region, and several of those players are staying in their country to compete. The VCL France will be the stage for names such as HyP , AKUMAAAAA , TakaS , logaN , and rodeN .

10 équipes dans l'arène, mais seule une d'entre elles en sortira triomphante. 👊 #VALRevolution
10:48 AM · Jan 5, 2023 ·
12 ·
273

VCL DACH: Evolution

Returning to eight-team leagues, DACH stands out as one of the most downgraded regions. Several big names — Kryptix , Luzuh , ozzy , elllement , DeepMans , RECIDENT and more — have flocked away from DACH in 2023 after spending the second split of 2022 and the OFF//SEASON there. DSYRE DSYRE Inactive caydeN Yari Olmi Tag Alessandro Voci wackie Rikardo Birjukov waddle Wadir Taraki and Wave Esports Wave Esports Inactive SimonD4rk Alexandr Skovbel Click Haydem Ali Saiz Daniel Ruiz are no longer a part of the league, the latter having missed registrations deadline, leaving their roster without an organization for the league and competing under “TBD”.

Unicorns of Love Unicorns of Love Inactive bleeshh Christopher Bledowski have stepped into DSYRE's slot, after spending most of 2022 competing in DACH's Project V VRC. They joined the OFF//SEASON DACH: Evolution - Unity competition playoffs, placing third after losses to Ovation eSports Ovation eSports Europe Rank #213 Luzuh Joseph Loose Louitan Louis Beresford and DSYRE. Most organizations have largely kept their rosters and/or cores, while MOUZ MOUZ Europe Rank #3 bipo Taranvir Singh Lime Jacob Foster Fizzy David Figueiredo Obnoks Nico Garczarczyk iluri Ilari Puranen and ALTERNATE aTTaX ALTERNATE aTTaX Europe Rank #38 Jini Jan Miller luckeRRR Niels Jasiek KovaQ Blendi Kovaci STAVINCI Dimitrios Smoilis are notable exceptions.

MOUZ have only kept al0rante from their offseason roster, filling the gaps left by former members with the likes of Obnoks , murii , and Filu . ALTERNATE aTTaX have brought on former Giants player Ambi and bucher , formerly of FOKUS.

English version
6:40 AM · Jan 5, 2023 ·
2 ·
69

VCL Turkey: Birlik

Turkey is another 10-man VCL in this list. The country is known as a powerhouse of EMEA talent and has benefitted greatly from Riot's new system, with many big names returning to compete in Turkey. The league has just two imports across 54 players. The VCL will also include three new organizations, one to fill FUT Esports FUT Esports Europe Rank #8 xeus Doğan Gözgen MrFaliN Furkan Yeğen yetujey Eray Budak AtaKaptan Ata Tan qRaxs Doğukan Balaban 's slot as they head for the VCT, and two more to become a 10-team league: Parla Esports Parla Esports Inactive Jlerst Naci Enes Yıldırım sociablEE Volkan Yonal lauress Toprak Kaynak Ruxic Uğur Güç jeyj7y Soner Eren Kent , S2G Esports S2G Esports Europe Rank #110 pAura Melih Karaduran Lava reazy Kaan Ürpek Turko Mehmet Özen DeepMans Yiğithan Kesici , and Digital Athletics Digital Athletics Europe Rank #199 lurzy0y0 Ibrahim Sandıkcı Celasun Emir Celasun s0pp Efe Tur audaz Soner Ekiz pckwN Efekan Yorulmaz are now VCL teams.

The two imports are a part of İstanbul Wildcats İstanbul Wildcats Europe Rank #44 sturNN Eren Oduncular Gloomy Mercan Özalp baha Baha Gözmen dRKY Onur Bora Genç deminatiX Akın Tak wtex , who have kept braveaf from last year's roster and have added 7ssk7 . AslaN and DubzWoW , from Germany and Australia, both carry dual citizenship and are Turkish.

AslaN is part of S2G, a roster which also includes pAura , russ and former Papara SuperMassive Papara SuperMassive Europe Rank #22 skylen Asil Yalçın ip0TT Yiğit Karadeniz VenTT Emre Bozkurt OXMANN Aytekin Çakır umu7 Umut Pekdoğan coach 9999 , being one of the most competitive in the region. Other big names — sociablEE , Izzy , CyderX , lurzy0y0 , glovee , XiSTOU , and DeepMans — have remained in the region despite the big shuffle.

VALORANT Challengers TR: Birlik Ligi takımlarının kadroları karşınızda! 👏

Sence en etkili kadroya sahip takım hangisi?
8:52 AM · Jan 10, 2023 ·
1 ·
181

VCL East: Surge

Eastern Europe's VCL is the final 10-man league in this list, also being one of the most competitive leagues in EMEA in players and size. Eastern Europe is one of the largest regions in EMEA Valorant, going so far as to encapsulate Ukraine, Greece and even Israel.

Several rosters from 2022's VRL have kept their core: Anorthosis Famagusta Esports Anorthosis Famagusta Esports Inactive , Enterprise Esports Enterprise Esports Europe Rank #55 jas Jasiek Nieliwodzki Kiles Vlad Shvets zeek Aleksander Zygmunt starki Krzysztof Lewandrowski doma Domagoj Fancev , Zero Tenacity Zero Tenacity Europe Rank #64 alexiiik Alex Hawlasek Prti Ivan Erak Grmekista Tilen Grmek msh Miłosz Szubański TajReX Patryk Hojoł , Diamant Esports Diamant Esports Inactive hold at least three players from last year's roster. NOM Esports NOM Esports Europe Rank #73 nero Eran Yosef bravo Pap Gergely Razziss Timur Taisaev Amcar have promoted their academy roster, while the organization's former roster core will keep playing in the VCL under Cyber Wolves Esports Cyber Wolves Esports Inactive ALMO Albert Mościcki Freyy Krystian Konopka Hitch Martin Srp pyrolll Artur Minin tatzuki Jovan Milovanovic . Rapid Ninjas Rapid Ninjas Inactive ikke Martin Erdei Barcode Kevin Bana oli Olivér Paksi arbie Kornel Holecz , a former VRC East: United team, has joined the VCL with the same roster.

Finally, there are two unexpected names in the East. B8 Esports B8 Esports Inactive Nunmeister , a Ukrainian organization, has joined the league with a roster spearheaded by arch and Dreamas . Acend Acend Inactive ALIVE Gilad Hakim musashi Alessio Xhaferi pyrolll Artur Minin cullumx Nikolaj Cullum Andersen chiwa Egor Stepanyuk , Valorant's first world champions, have returned to competition in VCL East with MONSTEERR , musashi , and baddyG .

Friendly reminder - those guys will start their fight for the glory today! 🔥 For which team are you gonna cheer? 🧐

@anoesports
@AcendClub
@Z10esports
@NOM_Esports
@cyberwolves_si
@Rapid_Ninjas
@EsportsDiamant
@enterprise_esp
@AnonymoEsports
@B8esportsGG
6:30 AM · Jan 12, 2023 ·
6 ·
121

VCL Italy: Rinascimento

VCL Italy: Rinascimento is one of two new leagues, going from a VRC last year to becoming an eight-team VCL this year. DSYRE are a part of this league after a 2022 stint in DACH, returning home with the former DSYRE Elevate DSYRE Elevate Inactive sassolino ViperZ FinganJode Filippo Bonanni loll9 maxeeh roster.

Several organizations from Agents Series, last year's VRC in Italy, have transitioned to the VCL: QLASH QLASH Europe Rank #219 Sab1nho mass3R Umberto Artuso LOMBA EduCoz , Macko Esports Macko Esports Inactive , Outplayed Outplayed Inactive sword Enrico Bacchin , and Axolotl Axolotl Europe Rank #194 Kheops Anis Mokrani summoNN Ilyas Haddad RickyVaila nk4y Nikola Radushev sword Enrico Bacchin are all returning to competition. WLGaming Esports WLGaming Esports Europe Rank #163 Nille Nichlas Busk and HMBLE HMBLE Inactive KnightVoice Hubert Lorenc looM Luca Landolfo are both returning to Valorant after a year away.

The final name comes from Azerbaijan. After ditching their CIS roster in late 2021, GMT Esports GMT Esports Inactive N A I S Alessandro Montanari AFoxx Fábio Veigas have recently returned to competition and now field bipo , HearthBeat , and AFoxx in a mostly-Italian roster that qualified to VCL Italy via the first LCQ.

Ecco gli 8 team che parteciperanno alla prima edizione dei Challengers Italy

Preparatevi alla sfida. Lo spettacolo sta per cominciare🔥🔥

#VALORANT #VALrinascimento #Sognatori @itVALORANT
8:11 AM · Dec 28, 2022 ·
14 ·
145

VCL Portugal: Tempest

Portugal is, akin to Italy, the second new VCL. Last year's Campeonato de Elite, the country's VRC, has become VCL Portugal: Tempest. Four former DSYRE players, who won DACH: Evolution - Unity, have joined the Portuguese competition under the GTZ Esports GTZ Esports Europe Rank #182 H4te Rodrigo Ribeiro Caim Hugo Fonseca name. Three of Arroz Arroz Inactive Zino Paulo Figueiredo Bati Miguel Batista DaviH David Cruz tomaszy Tomás Machado VTaguT Rui Ribeiro ' players, a team which swept the Portuguese scene in 2022, are now a part of SAW SAW Inactive Fragger Henrique Correia brk Bruno Ferreira GrTw Tiago Costa Addicted Eduardo Torres Cunha20 David Cunha , an organization who is now returning to the game after a year away.

The league is keeping several other names from their 2022 VRC, among which are Panthers Esports Panthers Esports Inactive tripsy Jorge Pereira Akira Rui Barbosa k4nzo MonOkson Eugene Nosko Sandro , Impulse GW Impulse GW Europe Rank #27 Leare Fletcher Brigden-Knight pdr Pedro Sousa , EGN Esports EGN Esports Europe Rank #49 are all making a comeback. FTW Esports FTW Esports Inactive sww Diogo Lopes furyan Afonso de Sousa aztex Miguel Tavares Ptf0x João Coelho have acquired Heracles Gaming Heracles Gaming Inactive LionClaw Tiago Moreira Dizayn Ozan Yagiz 's slot. Fourteen Esports, a Portuguese organization, have linked up with former Masters attendees Team Vikings Team Vikings Inactive Veroneze Vinícius Ribeiro Ds Daniel Silva swag João Neto pollo Julio Silva to take Old Times Old Times Inactive Ds Daniel Silva KenzmPs Simão Azevedo stepa Symon Stepanov ' slot under a new joint name: VIKINGS Fourteen VIKINGS Fourteen Inactive twokey brk Bruno Ferreira GrTw Tiago Costa VTaguT Rui Ribeiro KenzmPs Simão Azevedo Ds Daniel Silva .

The final slot was acquired by EX0TIK GAMING EX0TIK GAMING Europe Rank #133 , a former Spanish Circuito Tormenta team. The slot was owned by bessa mix bessa mix Inactive , a mix team which qualified to the league but opted to sell the slot instead of participating, as some of its players were then picked up by other VCL teams.

Ergue-se a tempestade. Vais sentir a rajada do VALORANT Challengers Portugal: Tempest 🌊

@EGNesports
@EX0TIKGAMING
@ftwesports
@TeamVikings x @fourteenesports
@GTZEsports
@ImpulseGW
@PantherseSportt
@sawggofficial

Estreia a 14 de janeiro.
12:34 PM · Jan 5, 2023 ·
46 ·
172

EMEA

Trailing the Pacific region in number of VCLs — EMEA has nine, whereas the Pacific has 10 — EMEA's tier 2 system is the second-largest in the current Valorant ecosystem. When compared to last year's EMEA VRLs, an extremely similar competitive system, the region has added two more by splitting Italy and Portugal into their own standalone leagues. Previously, they were both attached to and underrepresented at VRL Spain.

Besides the two new leagues, EMEA's VCLs are exactly the same as last year's VRLs, with several leagues mirroring last year's VRL or VRC prize pool.

In Split 2, the best teams of each VCL will be drafted into Challengers Ascension, the mid-summer competition that will close out the tier 2 scene. Ascension's winner will then access VCT EMEA for two years, receiving similar benefits to partnered teams and the chance to reach international events. Once those two years are up, the winner will return to their VCL.