Leviatán Wins Masters London but Misses Champions Shanghai: Does VCT Format Need Change?

After a convincing victory at Masters London, Leviatán – a top Valorant team from the Americas – failed to qualify for Champions Shanghai, the most prestigious tournament of the VCT year. This event has sparked widespread debate about the fairness of the cumulative points system. Should Riot Games reconsider the rules to grant an automatic berth to the Masters champion? This article provides an in-depth analysis of the causes, consequences, and tactical blind spots behind this shock.

Hook: The shocking moment

When Leviatán lifted the Masters London trophy in June 2026, experts and fans alike believed they would be strong contenders for Champions Shanghai. Yet, just weeks later, news that Leviatán lacked enough VCT points to compete in Shanghai left the global Valorant community stunned. How could a team that just defeated every international rival fail to qualify for the year's biggest event? The answer lies in VCT's unforgiving points system and Leviatán's own strategic missteps.

Context: The VCT format background

The VCT (Valorant Champions Tour) uses a cumulative points system across three main stages: Kickoff, Stage 1, and Stage 2. Teams earn points based on their performance in regional and international tournaments. At the end of the season, the teams with the highest total points per region qualify for Champions. There is no automatic berth for the Masters champion – meaning even if you win the mid-season international event, you must maintain consistent form throughout the year.

In VCT Americas, competition is described as 'absolutely stacked' – according to prominent caster Sliggy. With strong teams like NRG, G2 Esports, 100 Thieves, and Leviatán themselves, only 3 or 4 slots are available for Champions. This makes any early-season slip-up potentially fatal for even the best teams.

Core: Analysis of Leviatán's failure

There are two main reasons why Leviatán failed to accumulate enough VCT points: objective format disadvantages and subjective team errors.

1. Age restriction impact

Leviatán boasts a rising star – Bruno 'Neon' Rodríguez – who won MVP at Masters London. However, due to VCT's age restriction (typically 18 years old), Neon was ineligible to play in the early Kickoff tournament because he was not yet old enough. His absence severely weakened Leviatán's attack, leading to poor results in the early stage and very few points. This was a structural disadvantage, not the team's fault.

2. Tactical mistakes in Stage 2

Even after Neon's return, Leviatán made controversial decisions. According to Sliggy's analysis, Leviatán self-banned Split – their strongest map with an 11-0 record in the year – in a crucial match. They also deviated from their trusted Neon-Phoenix composition, experimenting with new strategies. Sliggy commented: 'Part of the blame is on them. You can't self-ban your best map and expect miracles.' It seems Leviatán were overconfident, thinking they could experiment after earning points from Masters, but they underestimated the fierce points race.

3. Fierce competition in the Americas

The 15 VCT points Leviatán accumulated might have been enough in weaker regions like China or Pacific. But in the Americas, with many evenly matched strong teams, that number placed them around 5th or 6th – not enough for top 3 or 4. NRG and G2 Esports played more consistently throughout the season, earning more points despite lacking an international title. This raises questions about the balance between rewarding peak performance (Masters) and long-term consistency.

Contrarian: Should the format change?

Many argue that Riot should grant an automatic berth to the Masters champion to prevent the world's best team from missing Champions. However, this also carries risks. If the Masters champion automatically qualifies, they might 'rest on their laurels' and lose motivation in subsequent Stage tournaments, reducing the quality of regional leagues. Additionally, an automatic berth would reduce slots for other teams, unfairly penalizing those who were consistent all season but lacked a major title.

The current format is designed to encourage consistency and prevent 'one-hit wonders.' However, Leviatán's case shows this format can be too harsh. A middle-ground solution would be to increase bonus points for the Masters champion instead of granting an automatic berth – for example, adding 5–10 points to ensure they have an advantage while still needing to compete. This would honor international success while maintaining competitiveness.

Takeaway: Lessons for Leviatán and the future

Leviatán's absence from Champions Shanghai is a major loss for the tournament, as one of the world's strongest and most exciting teams will not participate. But it also serves as a reminder to all teams: in top-tier esports, nothing is guaranteed. Leviatán must learn to manage risk when experimenting with tactics and build backup plans for young stars. As for Riot, public pressure may push them to consider rule adjustments in the future. The question remains: will we see another Masters champion left out of Champions again? Or will Riot act before that happens? Time will tell.

This article is based on data from Esports Insider and in-depth analysis sources. Leviatán remains a strong team, and they will have more opportunities next season. But right now, the Valorant community is questioning the fairness of a system where world champions are not guaranteed a spot at the world championship.