All the teams qualified for VCT Masters: Reykjavík 2022

Masters: Reykajvík, the first international tournament of the VALORANT Champions Tour 2022 schedule, is set to take place April 10-24. Twelve of the best VALORANT teams in the world will compete for a chance to be crowned Masters champions, accumulate VCT circuit points and take home a share of a hefty to-be-announced prize pool. The regional breakdown of the 12 teams looks like this: three from Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), two from North America (NA), two from Asia-Pacific (APAC), one from Korea, one from Japan, one from Brazil, one from Latin America (LATAM) and one from the winner of a Brazil-LATAM playoff.

These are the qualified teams:

• Fnatic
• G2 Esports
• Team Liquid
• OpTic Gaming
• The Guard
• Paper Rex
• XERXIA
• DRX
• ZETA DIVISION
• LOUD
• KRÜ
• Ninjas in Pyjamas

A new champion will rise for the fourth international VCT event in a row. The 2021 Masters: Reykajvík champions (Sentinels) didn’t qualify, and neither did Masters: Berlin champions (Gambit Esports / M3 Champions). Last year’s Champions winners, Acend, also failed to qualify. To get you ready for Masters, here’s a primer on each of the teams that have qualified.

Fnatic

EMEA

Photo credit: Riot Games

Fnatic lost the Masters: Reykajvík final last year, and now they’re going back to Iceland for a shot at redemption. After a perfect 5-0 group stage, it took a herculean effort in the bracket stage to secure the first of EMEA’s three spots at Masters. They beat M3 Champions (the roster that competed as Gambit Esports last year and won Masters: Berlin and finished second at Champions) on a third map that went to multiple overtime rounds and ended 23-21. They lost their next two matches to FunPlus Phoenix and G2 Esports but still look to be one of the best teams that will be in Iceland.

G2 Esports

EMEA

After nearly missing out on the group stage and the musical chairs on the roster between Oscar "mixwell" Cañellas Colocho and Wassim "keloqz" Cista, G2 managed to qualify for Masters. They did it with an impressive lower bracket run in which they beat M3 Champions and got revenge on Team Liquid, the team that knocked them into the lower bracket. Then they beat rival org Fnatic and reached the grand final where they put up a good effort but ultimately lost to FPX. With FPX not being able to go to Iceland, however, they will enter the tournament as Europe’s No. 1 seed.

Team Liquid

EMEA

FunPlus Phoenix had a 4-1 group stage and 2-0 victory over Team Liquid in the EMEA playoffs that qualified them for Masters. Unfortunately for them, with two players in Russia and one in Ukraine unable to travel to Iceland due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Riot Games announced the team would not be able to attend Masters. Instead, Team Liquid will take their place. The European region is so strong, and Team Liquid made it all the way to the grand final at Champions just a few months ago, so TL is a very strong replacement.

OpTic Gaming

NA

Photo credit: Riot Games

New name, same result. The team formerly known as Envy is going to another Masters, this time as OpTic Gaming. Despite going to Masters: Berlin and Champions last year, OpTic went 3-2 during the NA Stage 1 Challengers group stage and went into the NA playoffs not as heavily favored as some of the other teams to go to Iceland. But after beating two titans from the group stage (Cloud9 and The Guard) in the playoffs, OpTic reminded everyone that they’re still one of if not the best VALORANT team in NA. They did lose a rematch to The Guard in the NA playoffs grand final and will go to Iceland as NA’s No. 2 seed.

The Guard

NA

It’s a changing of the guard in NA -- pun intended. The Guard beat Cloud9, the team many have considered the best team in North America since late last year, to secure NA’s second spot in Iceland. The Guard have come a long way in a very short amount of time, from being formed in November to qualifying for the VCT NA Stage 1 group stage through the open qualifiers to qualifying for an international event as NA's No. 1 seed. Their rapid rise is a testament to the hours of hard work they have dedicated and culture they have developed, according to many on the team.

Paper Rex

APAC

Paper Rex will be returning to the international stage after reaching and winning the APAC playoffs grand final. They were at Masters: Berlin last year, where they lost a couple matches to Vision Strikers and SuperMassive Blaze. Their roster is largely unchanged since then other than the addition of Wang Jing "Jinggg" Jie in place of Zhang Teng "shiba" Toh.

XERXIA Esports

APAC

Photo credit: Riot Games

XERXIA’s roster is composed of players who were on X10 last year and competed at Masters: Berlin and Champions. The one notable player missing from last year’s roster is the always entertaining Patiphan “Patiphan” Chaiwong. Patipan has transitioned to Overwatch and will be playing for the Overwatch League’s Los Angeles Gladiators this year. The new addition to the roster is Thanachart "Surf" Rungapajaratkul. They made a name for themselves last year by knocking Envy out during the group stage at Champions.

DRX

Korea

Like OpTic and XERXIA, DRX are bearing a new name, but don’t be fooled, this is the same roster that competed as Vision Strikers last year and went to Masters: Berlin and Champions. DRX are still the best team in Korea as shown by their 6-1 Stage 1 group stage and nearly flawless playoff run in which they only dropped one map. They’ll be looking to replicate or even top fellow Korean team NUTURN Gaming’s top three finish at last year’s Masters: Reykjavík.

ZETA DIVISION

Japan

For the first time in a VALORANT international event, Crazy Raccoon will not represent Japan. ZETA DIVISION beat Crazy Raccoon in the Japan stage 1 playoffs grand final to reach Masters. They qualified for Masters: Berlin alongside Crazy Raccoon last year but will be the sole Japanese team in Reykjavík. It’s quite a different roster though, with only two holdovers, Koji "Laz" Ushida and Tomoaki "crow" Maruoka, from the team’s run to Berlin.

LOUD

Brazil

LOUD will be the latest team to represent Brazil at an international event. With an undefeated group stage (+58 round differential) and a perfect playoff run (8-0 in maps), LOUD might be the best team to represent Brazil internationally. Two of the players on this team, Gustavo "Sacy" Rossi and Matias "Saadhak" Delipetro were on the Vikings team that was at Masters: Reykjavík and Champions last year.

KRÜ

LATAM

Photo credit: Riot Games

KRÜ Esports beat Leviatán in a five game series in the grand final of the LATAM Stage 1 playoffs to qualify for their fourth consecutive international VCT event. Along with Sentinels and Crazy Raccoon, they had qualified for all three VCT events last year. However, since neither Sentinels nor Crazy Raccoon qualified for this year’s Masters: Reykjavík, they’re the only team to have qualified for all four VCT international events. Their roster is unchanged, but they have a new coach.

Ninjas in Pyjamas

Brazil

NIP beat Latin America’s Leviatán to capture the 12th and final spot at Masters. NIP's only losses in Brazil's Stage 1 Challengers playoffs were against LOUD, so they are the clear-cup second-best team in Brazil right now. NIP's qualification also means LOUD will advance directly to the playoffs at Masters alongside the other No. 1 seeds from the regions sending multiple teams.

Lead photo credit: Riot Games