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The VCT EMEA Stage 2 2026 groups are drawn, and the bracket is already stirring debate: Group Omega packs three of EMEA's top five teams into the same pool, setting up a brutal elimination gauntlet before the season even reaches Berlin. Here is everything you need to know about the draw.
Group Omega is the headline story of this draw. Three powerhouses — Team Heretics (ranked #1 EMEA), FNATIC (#3), and Eternal Fire (#5) — share a group with Team Liquid (#11), GIANTX (#25), and Karmine Corp (#42).
That means at least one of the top three EMEA teams goes home early. No miracle bracket luck, no soft path to the upper half: Heretics and FNATIC could meet in a do-or-die match long before the Berlin finale.
For context, Heretics dominated VCT EMEA Stage 1 and reached Masters London earlier this year. FNATIC and Eternal Fire are not far behind, and all three are legitimate contenders for the Champions Shanghai slot.
Karmine Corp fans are already feeling the heat 🥵 — drawing into Group Omega after their recent coaching staff changes makes this an incredibly tough test for the French org.
Group Alpha looks calmer on paper, but do not sleep on it. Team Vitality (#4 EMEA) leads the group alongside BBL Esports (#8), FUT Esports (#10), Gentle Mates (#13), Natus Vincere (#21), and PCIFIC Esports (#335).
VLR.gg / Riot Games
Vitality enters as the heavy favorite, but the gap between Vitality and the mid-tier teams — BBL, FUT, Gentle Mates — is smaller than the rankings suggest. Any of the top four in Alpha could realistically secure a playoff spot.
Teams were seeded based on their Stage 1 playoff placements. The key moment: Seed 6 was drawn, triggering a swap that moved Karmine Corp from Alpha into Omega, and PCIFIC Esports from Omega into Alpha.
That single swap changed everything for both teams. Karmine Corp now faces the hardest group imaginable. PCIFIC gets a slightly more navigable path.
Note: Eternal Fire joined VCT EMEA as a replacement for ULF Esports, who were removed from the league — making their presence in the death group even more dramatic given how recently they secured their spot.
The group stage kicks off on July 15, 2026, in Berlin. The finals weekend will be held in Barcelona, with the top finishers punching their tickets to VCT Champions Shanghai.
Twelve EMEA squads compete across the two groups, with only the best advancing to the playoff bracket.
While the pro scene plays out in Berlin, the best Valorant players in EMEA are competing on Amber.gg Valorant ladders every day. Whether you want to track your ranked progress or compete for real prize pools, Amber is where the EMEA Valorant community grinds.
Jump in and see how you stack up against the region that's producing teams like Heretics and FNATIC.
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