Valorant Champions 2022: LOUD decimate OpTic with a 3-1 Grand Finals win

Valorant Champions trophyWojciech Wandzel for Riot Games

Valorant Champions 2022 is the big dance for Riot’s hit FPS title. Sixteen teams have traveled to Istanbul, Turkey, for a chance at claiming the biggest trophy of the year, including a more than $1 million prize pool. Here’s what you need to know, including how to watch.


  • LOUD come out on top in this rematch with a 3-1 victory
  • Despite game 3 going into overtime, game 4 was a decisive win from LOUD
  • DRX place third at Champions Istanbul after falling 2-3 to OpTic, just narrowly missing the Grand Final

There is no bigger title in Valorant than Valorant Champions. It’s what pros around the world work towards for an entire year. With 2022 bringing plenty of upsets and new faces to the forefront of the title, LOUD managed to make the Upper Bracket run all the way to a victory in the Grand Finals.

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Despite OpTic’s best efforts and a fairly close series up until game 4, LOUD really stepped things up on the last map of the series and cemented themselves as the best Valorant team in the world.

OpTic took the championship title in Reykjavík over LOUD, making this a triumphant victory for the Brazillian team, and a rematch for them in more ways than one. You can find the full schedule and results for the event down below.

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Contents


Valorant Champions 2022: Format

Valorant Champions 2022 took place from August 31, 2022 to September 18, 2022 in Istanbul, Turkey as the title continues its tour around Europe. It was much earlier in the year than Valorant Champions 2021 ⁠— and it will make way for the new partnership model that will come into place in 2023.With 16 teams in attendance, it began with four groups of four competing GSL-style for eight playoff spots before a double-elimination bracket decided it all.

All matches were played in a best-of-three format, with the exception of the lower bracket final and the grand final, which were best-of-five affairs.

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Valorant Champions 2022: Schedule and results

Playoffs

Day 1: September 9

Stage Match PT ET GMT
Upper Bracket Quarterfinals Leviatán 0-2 LOUD 7AM 10AM 3PM
DRX 2-0 FunPlus Phoenix 10AM 1PM 6PM

Day 2: September 10

Stage Match PT ET GMT
Upper Bracket Quarterfinals OpTic 2-1 Team Liquid 7AM 10AM 3PM
XSET 2-0 Fnatic 10AM 1PM 6PM

Day 3: September 11

Stage Match PT ET GMT
Lower Bracket Round 1 Leviatán 0-2 FPX 7AM 10AM 3PM
Team Liquid 0-2 Fnatic 10AM 1PM 6PM

Day 4: September 12

Stage Match PT ET GMT
Upper Bracket Semifinals DRX 0-2 LOUD 7AM 10AM 3PM
OpTic 2-1 XSET 10AM 1PM 6PM

Day 5: September 13

Stage Match PT ET GMT
Lower Bracket Quarterfinals Fnatic 1-2 DRX 7AM 10AM 3PM
FPX 2-1 XSET 10AM 1PM 6PM

Day 6: September 16

Stage Match PT ET GMT
Upper Bracket Final LOUD 2-0 OpTic 7AM 10AM 3PM
Lower Bracket Semifinal FPX 0-2 DRX 10AM 1PM 6PM

Day 7: September 17

Stage Match PT ET GMT
Lower Bracket Final OpTic 3-2 DRX 7AM 10AM 3PM

Day 8: September 18

Stage Match PT ET GMT
Grand Finals LOUD 3-1 OpTic 7AM 10AM 3PM

Group Stage

Group A

Placement Team Record
1 Leviatán 2-0
2 Team Liquid 2-1
3 Paper Rex 1-2
4 EDward Gaming 0-2

Group B

Placement Team Record
1 OpTic Gaming 2-0
2 LOUD 2-1
3 ZETA DIVISION 1-2
4 BOOM Esports 0-2

Group C

Placement Team Record
1 XSET 2-0
2 FunPlus Phoenix 2-1
3 KRU Esports 1-2
4 Xerxia 0-2

Group D

Placement Team Record
1 DRX 2-0
2 Fnatic 2-1
3 100 Thieves 1-1
4 FURIA 0-2

Day 1: August 31

Stage Match PT ET GMT
Group A Opening Match Paper Rex 2-1 EDward Gaming 7AM 10AM 3PM
Group A Opening Match Liquid 0-2 Leviatán 10AM 1PM 6PM

Day 2: September 1

Stage Match PT ET GMT
Group B Opening Match ZETA DIVISION 0-2 LOUD 5AM 8AM 1PM
Group B Opening Match OpTic 2-1 BOOM 8AM 11AM 4PM
Group A Upper Final Paper Rex 0-2 Leviatán 11AM 2PM 7PM

Day 3: September 2

Stage Match PT ET GMT
Group D Opening Match DRX 2-0 FURIA 5AM 8AM 1PM
Group D Opening Match Fnatic 1-2 100 Thieves 8AM 11AM 4PM
Group B Upper Final LOUD 1-2 OpTic 11AM 2PM 7PM

Day 4: September 3

Stage Match PT ET GMT
Group C Opening Match XSET 2-0 XERXIA 5AM 8AM 1PM
Group C Opening Match FPX 2-0 KRU Esports 8AM 11AM 4PM
Group D Upper Final DRX 2-0 100 Thieves 11AM 2PM 7PM

Day 5: September 4

Stage Match PT ET GMT
Group A Elimination EDward Gaming 0-2 Liquid 8AM 11AM 4PM
Group B Elimination ZETA DIVISION 2-1 BOOM 11AM 2PM 7PM

Day 6: September 5

Stage Match PT ET GMT
Group D Elimination FURIA 1-2 Fnatic 7AM 10AM 3PM
Group C Elimination XERXIA 1-2 KRU Esports 8AM 11AM 4PM
Group C Upper Final XSET 2-1 FPX 11AM 2PM 7PM

Day 7: September 7

Stage Match PT ET GMT
Group A Decider Paper Rex 1-2 Team Liquid 7AM 10AM 3PM
Group B Decider LOUD 2-0 ZETA DIVISION 10AM 1PM 6PM

Day 8: September 8

Stage Match PT ET GMT
Group D Decider FPX 2-0 KRU Esports 7AM 10AM 3PM
Group C Decider 100 Thieves 0-2 Fnatic 10AM 1PM 6PM

Valorant Champions 2022: Final placements

Placement Team Prize Money (USD)
1 LOUD $300,000
2 OpTic $150,000
3 DRX $110,000
4 FunPlus Phoenix $80,000
5-6 XSET $60,000
Fnatic
7-8 Leviatan $40,000
Team Liquid
9-12 100 Thieves $25,000
KRU Esports
ZETA DIVISION
Paper Rex
13-16 FURIA Esports $15,000
XERXIA
EDward Gaming
BOOM Esports

Valorant Champions 2022: All qualified teams

Masters Reykjavik champions OpTic Gaming and Masters Copenhagen winners FunPlus Phoenix were two of the first representatives already confirmed. Other regional powerhouses, like LOUD (Brazil), DRX (Korea), Paper Rex (APAC), and XERXIA (APAC) also locked in their spots early.

Lance Skundrich/Riot Games
OpTic Gaming are one of NA’s three representatives at Champions 2022

In North America, 100 Thieves locked in the final spot in Istanbul after beating The Guard in the grand final of the region’s last-chance qualifier.

Perhaps the most surprising name on the list of participants is EDward Gaming. This was the first international appearance in Valorant from a Chinese team.

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You can find the full list of teams that qualified for Valorant Champions 2022 below.

Team Region Players
OpTic Gaming NA FNS, Victor, crashies, yay, Marved
XSET NA AYRIN, BcJ, dephh, zekken, Cryocells
100 Thieves NA Asuna, stellar, Will, Derrek, bang
FunPlus Phoenix EMEA ANGE1, Shao, ardiis, SUYGETSU, Zyppan
Fnatic EMEA Enzo, Derke, Boaster, Mistic, Alfajer
Team Liquid EMEA soulcas, ScreaM, Jamppi, Nivera, dimasick
LOUD Brazil pANcada, Sacy, Saadhak, aspas, Less
Leviatán LATAM Tacolila, Shyy, kiNgg, adverso, Melser
KRU Esports SA Klaus, Mazino, NagZ, keznit, delz1k
FURIA SA dgzin, Quick, Mazin, Khalil, nzr
DRX Korea stax, Rb, Zest, BuZz, MaKo
ZETA DIVISION Japan Laz, Dep, crow, SugarZ3ro, TENNN
EDward Gaming East Asia Life, CHICHOO, nobody, Haodong, ZmjjKK
Paper Rex APAC mindfreak, f0rsakeN, Benkai, d4v41, Jinggg
XERXIA APAC foxz, sushiboys, sScary, Crws, Surf
BOOM Esports APAC blaZek1ng, BerserX, Tehbotol, famouz, fl1pzjder