FNATIC Wins The Valorant Champions Tour 2025: EMEA Stage 1

FNATIC defeated Team Heretics in the finale to win the VCT 2025: EMEA Stage 1. Despite having a shaky start to the 2025 Valorant season, FNATIC showed why they are the best EMEA team. With their victory, FNATIC qualified for VCT 2025: Masters Toronto with a higher seeding, and they will be joined by Team Heretics and Team Liquid, who will start their journey with the Swiss Stage. 

VCT 2025: Masters Toronto will feature twelve Valorant partnered teams across the four regions. They will compete for the championship title, a lion’s share of the $1,000,000 prize pool, and crucial circuit points. Before talking about Masters Toronto, here is a quick recap of FNATIC’s journey to victory.

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FNATIC, Team Heretics, And Team Liquid To Represent EMEA At The VCT 2025: Masters Toronto

Credits: FNATIC

FNATIC didn’t live up to their name in the EMEA Kickoff, and Stage 1 was a chance to redeem themselves. Starting with the Group Stages, FNATIC stayed consistent with their approach, which helped them finish second in their group with a 4-1 record. FNATIC defeated everyone in their group, except Team Heretics. 

With their second-place finish, FNATIC received a lower seeding in the upper bracket, where they met FUT Esports. FNATIC didn’t give FUT Esports a chance and won the matchup with a 2-0 scoreline. The next matchup, Team Liquid vs FNATIC, was a close one as both teams showcased their top Valorant game. Despite Liquid’s efforts, Chronicle, kaajak, and Alfajer ensured to secure a 2-1 win for FNATIC.

In the upper bracket finals, FNATIC met Team Heretics, the only team they have lost to in this tournament. With vengeance in mind, FNATIC started strong in the first map of Fracture, making Team Heretics feel helpless. FNATIC secured Fracture with a 13-6 scoreline, and they continued their winning streak by winning the following map of Icebox with a 13-8. Alfajer and kaajak led FNATIC’s win with 40 and 38 finishes in their name, respectively.

After losing to FNATIC, Team Heretics went against Team Liquid in the lower bracket finals. Team Heretics bounced back by defeating Liquid with a 3-0 scoreline, ensuring their rematch against FNATIC. The grand final was a best-of-five matchup, where FNATIC was riding high on confidence and momentum. With a dominating start on the map of Split, FNATIC won the game with a 13-4 scoreline, letting Heretics know why they are the top EMEA team. On the second map of Icebox, FNATIC secured nine back-to-back rounds, breaking Heretics’ back. Despite Heretics’ efforts in the second half, FNATIC won the map with a 13-9 scoreline. 

Fracture was going to be a do-or-die map for Heretics, and they had to register a reverse sweep to win the finals. Team Heretics tried to push the map away from FNATIC’s hand by taking the game to overtime, but their efforts went in vain as FNATIC won the map in the first overtime. With their victory over Heretics, FNATIC won the VCT 2025: EMEA Stage 1 and secured the first seed at Masters Toronto. kaajak was crowned as the Grand Finals MVP. While Team Heretics couldn’t lock the championship, they will fly alongside Team Liquid to compete in the Swiss Stage of Masters Toronto.