VCT Ascension 2023 Americas & EMEA: Results, schedule and Valorant teams
Riot GamesThe VCT Ascension tournaments are underway in EMEA as teams fight for promotion to the international league. The Americas region’s promotion tournament has concluded with The Guard defeating M80 3-1. Keep track of the schedule and all the scores here.
The second year of the new Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) circuit will see the three international leagues expanded to 11 teams through a promotion system. In each region, an Ascension tournament featuring the best Challengers sides will determine which team will earn a two-year stay in the international league.
This is part of the revamped VCT Challengers ecosystem announced by Riot Games in the summer of 2022. Each year until 2027, the international leagues will be expanded by one team, with the promoted teams receiving the same benefits as the ten partner organizations. These include access to revenue share and the possibility to attend international events.
Below is everything you need to know about the VCT Ascension tournaments in the Americas and EMEA:
Contents
VCT Ascension Americas (June 30 — July 9)
The VCT Ascension Americas tournament has concluded with The Guard defeating M80 3-1 in the Grand Final. The organization went undefeated across the entire tournament, going 2-0 in the group stage and only dropping two maps in the playoff stage.
The Guard’s entire team topped the tournament’s statistical leaderboard, with all five players ending the tournament ranked in the top 10 of VLR rating. The squad was relatively unchanged from its 2022 iteration, as it only added Ian ‘tex’ Botsch to replace Ha ‘Sayaplayer’ Jeong-woo. The squad’s experience together was shown on the LAN stage in São Paulo, Brazil as they looked unfazed going up against top competition from South America and M80.
Fans will get to see The Guard compete in tier 1 Valorant competition again come the start of the VCT season in 2024.
How to watch:
Format:
- Bo3 round-robin group stage for seeding purposes.
- Double-elimination bracket. All matches are Bo3, except the grand final (Bo5).
Schedule and results:
Playoffs (July 3 — July 9)
Day 1: July 3
Stage | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
Upper Round 1 | 00 Nation 0-2 FUSION | 1 PM | 4 PM | 9 PM |
Upper Round 1 | M80 2-0 9z | 4 PM | 7 PM | 12 AM |
Day 2: July 4
Stage | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
Upper Round 2 | The Union 2-0 FUSION | 1 PM | 4 PM | 9 PM |
Upper Round 2 | The Guard 2-0 M80 | 4 PM | 7 PM | 12 AM |
Day 3: July 5
Stage | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
Lower Round 1 | 00 Nation 0-2 M80 | 11 AM | 2 PM | 7 PM |
Lower Round 1 | 9z 2-0 FUSION | 2 PM | 5 PM | 10 PM |
Upper Final | The Union 1-2 The Guard | 5 PM | 8 PM | 1 AM |
Day 4: July 8
Stage | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
Lower Round 2 | M80 2-0 9z | 11 AM | 2 PM | 7 PM |
Lower Final | The Union 0-2 M80 | 2 PM | 5 PM | 10 PM |
Day 5: July 9
Stage | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
Grand Final | The Guard 3-1 M80 | 11 AM | 2 PM | 7 PM |
Group Stage (June 30 — July 2)
Group A
Placement | Team | Record |
1 | The Union | 2-0 |
2 | M80 | 1-1 |
3 | FUSION | 0-2 |
Group B
Placement | Team | Record |
1 | The Guard | 2-0 |
2 | 00 Nation | 1-1 |
3 | 9z | 0-2 |
Day 1: June 30
Group | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
Group A | M80 0-2 The Union | 1 PM | 4 PM | 9 PM |
Group B | 9z 0-2 00 Nation | 4 PM | 7 PM | 12 AM |
Day 2: July 1
Group | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
Group A | M80 2-0 Fusion | 1 PM | 4 PM | 9 PM |
Group B | The Guard 2-0 00 Nation | 4 PM | 7 PM | 12 AM |
Day 3: July 2
Group | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
Group A | Fusion 0-2 The Union | 1 PM | 4 PM | 9 PM |
Group B | The Guard 2-0 9z | 4 PM | 7 PM | 12 AM |
Teams:
Team | Region | Players |
M80 | North America | koalanoob, Zander, NiSMO, eeiu, johnqt |
The Guard | North America | trent, JonahP, neT, valyn, tex |
FUSION | LATAM North | Mited, Theory, Edu, Virtyy, Darker |
9z | LATAM South | Tuli, david, deigara, mizu, Rubkkoide |
The Union | Brazil | GuhRVN, raafa, pancc, ntk, Askia |
00 Nation | Brazil | shion, b4rtiN, xand, bezn1, artzin |
VCT Ascension EMEA (June 30 — July 16)
The VCT Ascension EMEA tournament will begin with an online group stage, featuring ten teams. Nine will come from the Challengers Leagues, while the last team will be decided through a Play-In tournament. The playoff stage will take place at the VCT EMEA Coliseum, in Berlin.
How to watch:
Format:
- Bo3 round-robin group stage, with the top two teams in each group progressing to the playoffs.
- Single-elimination bracket. All matches are Bo3, except the grand final (Bo5).
Schedule and results:
- Group Stage: June 30-July 4
- Playoffs: July 13-16
Playoffs (July 13 — July 16)
Day 1: July 13
Stage | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
Upper Round 1 | Acend 2-0 Gentle Mates | 8 AM | 11 AM | 4 PM |
Upper Round 1 | Apeks 2-0 SAW | 11 AM | 2 PM | 7 PM |
Day 2: July 14
Stage | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
Upper Final | Acend 1-2 Apeks | 8 AM | 11 AM | 4 PM |
Lower Round 1 | Gentle Mates 2-1 SAW | 11 AM | 2 PM | 7 PM |
Day 3: July 15
Stage | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
Lower Final | Acend 0-3 Gentle Mates | 8 AM | 11 AM | 4 PM |
Day 4: July 16
Stage | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
Grand Final | Apeks 0-3 Gentle Mates | 8 AM | 11 AM | 4 PM |
Group Stage (June 30 — July 4)
Group A
Placement | Team | Record |
1 | Acend | 3-1 |
2 | SAW | 3-1 |
3 | Digital Athletics | 2-2 |
4 | CGN Esports | 1-3 |
5 | DSYRE | 1-3 |
Group B
Placement | Team | Record |
1 | Apeks | 4-0 |
2 | Gentle Mates | 3-1 |
3 | FOKUS | 2-2 |
4 | Team Falcons | 1-3 |
5 | Case Esports | 0-4 |
Day 1: June 30
Group | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
Group A | Acend 2-0 Digital Athletics | 8 AM | 11 AM | 4 PM |
Group B | Case 0-2 Apeks | 8 AM | 11 AM | 4 PM |
Group A | DSYRE 0-2 CGN | 11 AM | 2 PM | 7 PM |
Group B | Falcons 0-2 Gentle Mates | 11 AM | 2 PM | 7 PM |
Day 2: July 1
Group | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
Group A | Acend 2-1 CGN | 8 AM | 11 AM | 4 PM |
Group B | Gentle Mates 2-0 Case | 8 AM | 11 AM | 4 PM |
Group A | SAW 2-1 Digital Athletics | 11 AM | 2 PM | 7 PM |
Group B | Apeks 2-1 FOKUS | 11 AM | 2 PM | 7 PM |
Day 3: July 2
Group | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
Group A | SAW 2-1 CGN | 8 AM | 11 AM | 4 PM |
Group B | Gentle Mates 2-1 FOKUS | 8 AM | 11 AM | 4 PM |
Group A | DSYRE 2-1 Acend | 11 AM | 2 PM | 7 PM |
Group B | Falcons 2-0 Case | 11 AM | 2 PM | 7 PM |
Day 4: July 3
Group | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
Group A | SAW 2-1 DSYRE | 8 AM | 11 AM | 4 PM |
Group B | Falcons 1-2 FOKUS | 8 AM | 11 AM | 4 PM |
Group A | Digital Athletics 2-1 CGN | 11 AM | 2 PM | 7 PM |
Group B | Gentle Mates 0-2 Apeks | 11 AM | 2 PM | 7 PM |
Day 5: July 4
Group | Match | PT | ET | GMT |
Group A | DSYRE 0-2 Digital Athletics | 8 AM | 11 AM | 4 PM |
Group B | Falcons 0-2 Apeks | 8 AM | 11 AM | 4 PM |
Group A | SAW 0-2 Acend | 11 AM | 2 PM | 7 PM |
Group B | Case 0-2 FOKUS | 11 AM | 2 PM | 7 PM |
Teams:
Team | League | Players |
Apeks | Polaris | Mistic, Enzo, keiko, Magnum, ShadoW |
CGN Esports | DACH | auzry, Shazeo, elllement, BennY, Vince |
Case | Spain | Yurii, Kiles, Ease, MiniBoo, roxie |
Gentle Mates | France | logaN, beyAz, Wailers, TakaS, nataNk |
Digital Athletics | Turkey | skyLeN, cacan, Masic, Ruxic, DeepMans |
SAW | Portugal | tomaszy, Fizzy, Bati, DaviH, Addicted |
Acend | East | MONSTEERR, Br0die, baddyG, musashi, ALIVE |
Team Falcons | MENA | alvar, Moh, OuTLaW, SpY, KHaaLiD |
DSYRE | Italy | caydeN, Xazyy, Tag, Wackie, Feqew |
FOKUS | Play-In | YaBoiLewis, JUGi, Lime, KPZET, waddle |