Five must-watch VCT EMEA Stage 1 matches

VCT EMEA Stage 1 kicks off later today, with EMEA Kickoff winners Team Vitality taking on GIANTX for the first time in nearly a year.

Each match in the Group Stage brings its own compelling storylines and new narratives will continue to unfold. A total of 30 matches will be played over five weeks in the VCT EMEA Stage 1 Group Stage. For those who can’t catch every game, here are five matches that viewers shouldn’t miss.

Ava ‘florescent’ Eugene, the only Game Changers player who has been promoted to VCT, shined as a duelist at EMEA Kickoff, but the team failed to win even a single series. Now, with all eyes on her and the addition of Peter ‘Governor’ No, Apeks will be aiming for its first ever VCT victory.

However, standing in their way are VALORANT Champions 2024 runner-ups, Team Heretics, looking to bounce back after missing its first international VCT event since 2024. Whether Team Heretics secure an expected victory or Apeks pull off a shocking upset, this is expected to be a historic match taking place on March 27th.

Star EMEA duelist Nikita ‘Derke’ Sirmitev will go up against his former teammates for the first time since leaving Fnatic. While Fnatic has never lost to Team Vitality so far, the team’s performance this season hasn’t been up to the mark. Can Fnatic maintain a perfect win record or will Team Vitality finally turn the tide?

On April 10th, FUT Esports will step onto the stage seeking revenge after a heartbreaking elimination by Team Liquid in the Kickoff Lower Grand Final.

Team Liquid, on the other hand, has made roster changes, replacing Maks ‘kamyk’ Rychlewski with Maikls ‘SerialKiller’ Zdanovs, despite his impressive performance so far. With a new lineup in place, it will be interesting to see if Team Liquid can continue its impressive VCT run.

Karmine Corp entered the 2025 VCT season with one of the most hyped rosters. The organisation’s team sees one of the best IGLs in the world, Matias ‘Saadhak’ Delipetro, step into the EMEA region and put together a powerful squad featuring Dmitry ‘SUYGETSU’ Ilyushin and Martin ‘marteen’ Pátek. 

While Karmine Corp’s Kickoff run ended early, the potential these players bring individually and together as a team is undeniable. Meanwhile, Team Liquid’s Ayaz ‘nAts’ Akhmetshin has been thriving in his first season as an IGL, making this clash a fascinating showdown.

Riot Games has saved the best rivalry for last, as Fnatic and Team Heretics face off once again on April 25th. In 2024 alone, both teams clashed four times, with Heretics winning three of those encounters. This includes a crushing defeat for Fnatic at Champions, where Team Heretics knocked the organisation into the lower bracket.

Now, as Fnatic hopes to rediscover its missing form, this match presents a golden opportunity for the UK-based organisation to get revenge and close out the Group Stage on a high note.

Fans can tune into all the action via VCT EMEA’s official YouTube and Twitch channels. Moreover, Riot Games has recently unveiled its list of co-streamers for the event.