
Who will win the VCT Masters Shanghai 2024?
The VCT Masters Shanghai is the next international VALORANT tournament, set to begin on May 23. With the top 12 teams from around the world facing off against each other, the stakes are the highest they have ever been.
Here is our prediction on who is best equipped to win ahead of the start of the VCT Masters Shanghai.
Who will win the VCT Masters Shanghai?

Image Credits: Riot Games
VCT Master Shanghai has a unique tournament format. The teams that finished first in their respective leagues would receive a bye to the playoff stages of the tournament. The remaining two teams from each league will participate in the event’s Swiss stage. The top 4 teams from the Swiss stage will qualify for the playoff phase of the tournament. Following a random draw, the teams who finished first in their receptive VCT Leagues can select their opponent to face in the first game of the playoffs phase. Now, let’s head into the full rankings.
1) Paper Rex

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Paper Rex has been on an incredible run of form during VCT Pacific Stage One. Having finished first in the tournament. In the grand finals, they faced off against Gen G in an incredible match-up but won it confidently. With the return of Wang Jing” Jinggg” Jie to the roster, the team hasn’t missed a beat. This could be the first international trophy that Paper Rex finally claims and the first VCT Pacific team to win an international tournament.
2) Fnatic

Image Credits: Fnatic
The Kings of EMEA are finally back on the run of form many hoped to see them this season. Having not qualified for VCT Masters Madrid, many wondered what was next for this team. During the VCT EMEA Stage One, FNATIC got back into the groove and finally won the league as well. With an opportunity to pick their first opponent in the playoffs phase of the tournament, we could see them be the second team to claim two VCT Masters trophies.
3) Gen G

Image Credits: Riot Games
Gen G have been one of the best teams to watch in VALORANT this season. They started the season by winning the VCT Pacific Kickoff and finishing second during the VCT Masters Madrid. The team was fingertips away from winning that international trophy. They have kept the momentum rolling with an incredible VCT Pacific Stage One performance. This team will be able to make it into the playoffs phase and face Paper Rex again in the grand finals.
4) EDward Gaming

Image Credits: Riot Games
EDward Gaming has been the best team in Stage One in VCT China this season. During the tournament’s grand final, the players’ banter excited fans for VCT Master Shanghai. During VCT Master Madrid, the team couldn’t make it to the playoff stages of the tournament. It must be stated that during the VCT China Stage One, just two games were lost.
5) 100 Thieves

Image Credits: 100 Thieves
100 Thieves won VCT Americas Stage one in a dominating manner. Defeating the likes of G2 Esports with a score of 3:0. The team during VCT Americas Stage One has finally gotten their groove, with Boostio proving why he is one of the best in the game. The last time 100Thieves made it to an international tournament was during VALORANT Champions 2022 when they lost against FNATIC and got eliminated. During VCT Lock//IN Sau Paulo, their loss to FNATIC knocked them out of the event. It will be interesting to see if there will be a rematch between these two teams and if 100Thieves can finally get their revenge.
6) Leviatán

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If there is one team that is the dark horse of this tournament, it is Leviatán. With Aspas, his form is finally following his transfer from LOUD. The addition of C0M from the VALORANT 2023 Champions-winning team EG has been a blessing in disguise. They finished 3rd during VCT Americas, losing to G2 Esports in the lower bracket final.
7) Dragon Ranger Gaming

Image Credits: Riot Games
The next team on our list is one of the two that made it to the main VCT Leagues through Ascension. It is none other than Dragon Ranger Gaming, the team that has been the second seed in VCT China. Due to their playstyle being focused solely on the post plant, this team has been a menace to opponents in China.
8) Team Heretics

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The next team is among the few qualified for the VCT Masters events this year. Team Heretics has been one of the best and most consistent teams this season of VCT. The team is in 8th position for this event due to information that their ace duelist, Miniboo, won’t participate during the tournament, leading to a fixture change in the VCT Masters Shanghai. This is due to his final examinations taking place on the exact dates. With the addition of paTiTek to the roster, it will be interesting to see if they can make it to the playoffs.
9) FUT Esports

Image Credits: FUT Esports | Twitter
The next team is another from the EMEA region: FUT Esports. It is one of the few teams in the tournament with players from their country. FUT Esports’s run to the top of VCT EMEA Stage One was incredible. The passion of Turkish VALORANT fans is impressive, and only time will tell if they can spur their team to the top.
10) T1

Image Credit: T1
T1 has finally returned to the international stage of VALORANT. The last time this team made it was during VALORANT Champions 2023. With the addition of xccurate and Rossi, the team has been in quite the run of form. They finished third during VCT Pacific Stage One. Only time will tell if the team can pull up its socks and begin to cement its legacy in VALORANT Esports.
11) G2 Esports

Image Credits: G2 Esports
The second team in this tournament made it to the VCT League through their regional VCT Ascension tournament. G2 Esports has proved to all the trolls that are one of the best teams in the region. Having finished second in VCT Americas Stage One. With this event being the first international event for most players, it will be interesting to see how they keep their nerves. Interestingly, G2 will be facing T1 in their first match in the tournament. During League of Legends MSI 2024, these two organizations faced off with T1 winning that match-up.
12) FunPlus Phoenix

Image Credits: Riot Games
FunPlus Phoenix is one of the teams that we believe can be the ultimate underdog in this tournament. They have used some of the most unique agent compositions in the game this season.
They are the only team to qualify for the tournament by using Clove in VALORANT. With a unique style of play focused on the post plant, they are another team to watch out for. Only time will tell. With FPX Life, can this team breeze through into the playoff stage or need to claw their way back to the top?