Fnatic Makes History at VCT EMEA Stage 2 Finals

Fnatic’s Valorant team has achieved a historic feat by winning consecutive tournaments and becoming the first team in EMEA franchising to do so.

Despite initially struggling in the early stages of VCT EMEA 2024, Fnatic managed to turn their performance around during the main stage. They secured their spot in Masters Shanghai after winning the first regional tournament in May, having missed out on qualifying for Masters Madrid earlier in the year.

Despite their 7th place finish at the international tournament, Fnatic showed their strength in the second stage of VCT EMEA. They dominated the playoff bracket, losing only two maps throughout the entire tournament—one to Karmine Corp in the first round and another to Team Vitality in the grand finals.

Fnatic secured their victory over Team Vitality on the fourth map of the match, dominating with a score of 13-3 on their opponent’s chosen map. This accomplishment makes them the first team in EMEA to achieve consecutive wins at events, as announced by their tweet on https://x.com/FNATIC/status/1814745476740038880.

During the post-match interview, Timofey “Chronicle”Khromov revealed that Jake [Boaster] had predicted their team’s success in winning three trophies before the start of the year. As of now, they have already won two out of three trophies, namely Stage 1 and Stage 2. Khromov confidently stated that they are now looking towards the upcoming Champs tournament.

NEW TROPHY FOR THE CABINET 💫 pic.twitter.com/AQ0AD6WOZl

— FNATIC (@FNATIC) July 20, 2024

EDward Gaming, a dominant force in their region, was the only other team to achieve victory in both stages of VCT China.

Following their triumph in VCT EMEA Stage 2, Fnatic claimed their third regional title, with their most recent triumph taking place in 2022 against FPX prior to the implementation of the franchising system.

This triumph also signifies the inaugural tournament victory for substitute Emirhan “hiro” Kat, who was recruited by Fnatic during Stage 2 to take the place of Leo “Leo” Jannesson. Jannesson had made the decision to take a break from professional gaming in order to prioritize his well-being.

Fnatic, along with Team Vitality, Team Heretics, and FUT Esports, will be competing at VCT Champions, the last international tournament of the year. The event will take place at the COEX Artium and INSPIRE Arena in Seoul, South Korea.

EMEA’s goal is to secure the second Champions trophy for their region, following Acend’s victory in the inaugural event in 2021.