Leviatán wins Masters London but misses Champions Shanghai: Is the VCT points system fair?

Leviatán, the Masters London 2026 champion, failed to qualify for Champions Shanghai, the most prestigious Valorant event of the year. This raises questions about the fairness of the VCT points system, where teams accumulate points through Kickoff, Stage 1, Stage 2, and Masters. Despite winning Masters, Leviatán earned only 15 points, not enough to surpass NRG and G2 Esports in the Americas region, which analyst Sliggy describes as 'absolutely stacked.' A key factor was the absence of star rookie Bruno 'Neon' Rodríguez at Kickoff due to age restrictions (minimum 18). This cost Leviatán early points. Additionally, in Stage 2, the team self-banned their best map Split (11-0 record) and deviated from their trusted Neon-Phoenix composition, leading to losses. Sliggy noted that Leviatán contributed to their own downfall. The current VCT system prioritizes seasonal consistency but offers no automatic berth for Masters winners. If Leviatán had competed in a weaker region like China or Pacific, 15 points might have sufficed. This highlights regional imbalance. Riot Games may face pressure to change the rules, such as granting an automatic slot for Masters champions, but that could undermine the value of seasonal consistency. Despite missing Champions, Leviatán remains a strong contender for next season. This story serves as a wake-up call: teams cannot rely solely on peak performance in one tournament; every match matters. The Valorant community awaits Riot's response.