Riot have announced the date and format for the Challengers EMEA Promotion and Relegation tournaments. The series of events will be the first opportunity for EMEA Premier teams to qualify to Challengers. The promotion tournaments will take place between May 4 and May 7.
Each Challengers region will have their respective promotion tournament, with a unique format depending on the region's VRC and tournament organizer. Broadly speaking, each promotion event will feature two relegated teams from Split 1, the top four teams from the region's Premier circuit, and, if applicable, teams from the region's VRC.
The basic format will begin with a single elimination bracket featuring the Premier and VRC teams. The top two teams will then advance to a four team double elimination bracket, where they will play against the two relegated teams from Split 1. The top two teams from the final portion will earn a spot in the respective Challengers League for Split 2.
The general structure for Promotion features two stages. Tournament organizers may modify as necessary. Image: Riot Games
Northern Europe and Spain will have the top four teams from their VRC participating in the single elimination bracket. Portugal does not have a VRC, but they will hold an open qualifier instead. The top four teams from the qualifier will join the top four Premier teams in the single elimination stage.
Like Portugal, neither MENA nor Turkey have a VRC. Turkey will instead have the two relegated teams from Split 1 participating against the top four Premier teams. The MENA Promotion format is unconfirmed, but they will likely have a similar system to Turkey.
In Challengers East, the last place team from Split 1 will be relegated directly, with no opportunity of participating in Promotion. The eighth and ninth place teams from Split 1 will participate in the promotion tournament. The top team from East United Finals, trashcan trashcan Europe Rank #30 luckyMrJ Artem Rozvodovskiy Danda Daniel Petr f4ngeer Roman Smirnov , has qualified directly to Split 2, while the 2nd and 3rd place teams ( Szach Mat Szach Mat Europe Rank #23 Kozok Kamil Kozioł Czester msh demek NeFi and Sila4i Sila4i Europe Rank #175 troizyyy FakeAnanas Alex Semec antonio Antonio Atanasov ) will advance to the promotion tournament alongside the Premier teams.
DACH, France, and Italy will only feature the winner of their respective VRC, who are seeded into the double elimination stage. The top four Premier teams will still play in the single elimination portion of the event, with the winner being the fourth team in the double elimination bracket.
DACH, France, and Italy have a modified Promotion format that features only one VRC team. Image: Riot Games
Further details and broadcast information will be announced on social media by each tournament organizer: