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Fnatic have done it again, and they’ve made it look pretty effortless.

With a clean 2–0 sweep over Apeks, the British powerhouse has officially punched their ticket to VALORANT Champions Paris, becoming the first team from the VCT EMEA Stage 2 to qualify for the year’s biggest tournament.

It’s been a season of highs and a few bumps for Fnatic. They started the year slow at the Kickoff event, but quickly found their rhythm. A Stage 1 trophy and a second-place finish at Masters Toronto gave them enough Championship Points to secure Champions qualification before the Stage 2 playoffs even begin.

Their match against Apeks showed exactly why they’re still one of the most feared teams in the league. Bind was all Fnatic from the get-go, and while Apeks had a few moments on Lotus, the map still ended in Fnatic’s favour. That wraps the series at 2–0 and leaves Fnatic in a prime position heading into the Stage 2 playoffs.

Fnatic Champions Paris

Fnatic vs Apeks | Image via gosugamers.net

Unfortunately for Apeks, the loss seals a rough year. After joining VCT EMEA last season through Ascension, they haven’t managed to win a single match in 2025 and will now be relegated back to Challengers.

For Fnatic’s in-game leader Jake “Boaster” Howlett, this keeps an impressive personal streak alive, he’s qualified for every single VALORANT Champions event so far. The one thing still missing from his resume? Lifting the Champions trophy itself.

With Fnatic’s spot locked, three more EMEA teams will join them in Paris, two through Stage 2’s playoff results and one via Championship Points. The battle for those remaining tickets is heating up fast, with Team Liquid and Team Heretics neck and neck on the points leaderboard.

The Stage 2 playoffs kick off soon, and we’ll find out who’s joining Fnatic in the City of Light by the end of August. Until then, they can breathe easy knowing their place at Champions is already secured, but you can bet they’ll still be chasing another trophy along the way.