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China is coming. Xi Lai Gaming and EDward Gaming secured their spots at VCT Masters London on May 4 after dominating the China Stage 1 upper bracket, and the way they did it should have every other region paying attention đ
XLG dismantled JDG Esports 2-0, capping the series with a 13-0 shutout on Lotus, one of the rarest scorelines in pro Valorant. happywei led the charge with a 1.64 rating, 346 ACS, and a 40% headshot rate. That kind of individual performance on a team built around structured, Duelist-free play is extraordinary.
EDG were equally convincing. They swept All Gamers 2-0 (Fracture 13-7, Lotus 13-6) behind CHICHOO's flex mastery across Controller and Sentinel roles. An 87% KAST tells you EDG's system isn't relying on one player to carry, it's built to suffocate opponents over an entire series.
VCT Masters London 2026 â Official Riot Games
Here's what makes XLG's run genuinely interesting for the broader competitive meta: they reached the upper finals without a traditional Duelist. Triple-Sentinel compositions are still a rarity at the highest level, especially on maps like Lotus. While teams in the Americas have been leaning into aggressive setups, XLG is proving there's another way to win.
Chinese teams operate on a different philosophical axis: disciplined rotations, controlled utility usage, and game plans that punish aggression. At Masters London, these compositions will face the global meta head-on. If XLG keeps winning with this system, expect teams worldwide to start taking notes đ
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China: Xi Lai Gaming (XLG) â, EDward Gaming (EDG) â, 1 spot TBD (Lower Bracket Final)
EMEA: FUT Esports â, Fnatic â
Americas: TBD (Week 5 ongoing)
Pacific: TBD (Playoffs ongoing)
Updated May 4, 2026. Masters London runs June 6-21 at Copper Box Arena, London.
TYLOO and DRG both survived their elimination matches on May 3, keeping the fight for China's third London slot alive. The winner of their lower bracket final earns the last Chinese ticket.
In LATAM, 2Game Esports quietly signed xenom (ex-MIBR), a move that could shift the Americas standings in the weeks ahead. Check the full VCT 2026 Stage 1 groups, schedule and team breakdown for every region's qualification path.
In EMEA, FUT Esports and Fnatic have already locked their playoff spots. In Americas, Cloud9 debuted jackk in a tight 2-1 loss to LOUD, leaving the region wide open heading into the final week.
XLG vs. the world's Duelist mains. CHICHOO playing multiple roles on the same map. happywei posting 40% headshots on a Sentinel. China arrives at Masters London with proven systems and some of the sharpest individual players on the circuit right now.
The meta diversity alone makes this event compelling. Whether or not the Chinese playstyle breaks through, it's going to force every team to prepare for something they don't face at home. That's when international Valorant gets genuinely exciting đ
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