As the dust settles on VCT LOCK//IN Brazil, one of the biggest LAN Valorant events in history, all attention has turned to the next stages of the prestigious 2023 Valorant Champions Tour. 

The 2023 VCT will feature an electrifying new format designed to keep fans on the edge of their seats. Instead of the previous seven regions, the VCT tournament is now split into three international powerhouses - EMEA, Americas, and Pacific. All franchise teams are involved in their respective Leagues. Depending on their performance, teams will earn VCT points. The teams in each League with the largest sum of points qualify for the end-of-year Valorant Champions. 

All three International tournaments - EMEA, Americas, and Pacific - will commence in March/April, with eight whole weeks of regular season play, but which teams will take home the crown and patriotically represent their home region in Masters Tokyo later this year in June? 

That’s where we’ve partnered with pro-Valorant player Matthew Yu, aka Wardell. Who better to give their VCT 2023 predictions than someone who knows the pro-Valorant scene inside and out?

Who is Wardell? 

Matthew Yu, better known by Wardell, is a Canadian pro-Valorant player and streamer who has most notably played for Team SoloMid and been a stand in for Version1. He came from humble beginnings, mostly known as a former Counter-Strike: Global Offensive player with his time in the team Ghost Gaming. 

Wardell now blesses Rivalry with his special Valorant expertise, as we have partnered with him on multiple campaigns to educate fans on the Valorant scene. You can catch Wardell on his Twitch channel below.

With Rivalry’s #WinWithWardell campaign, Valorant fans can level up their own betting/playing experience by learning from a professional player with a wealth of knowledge and first-hand experience.

Wardell has been sharing his thoughts and opinions, some controversial, on the upcoming VCT 2023 season on the Rivalry Canada Twitter page, so stay tuned! 

Let’s dive into the teams competing in each of the team tournaments and Wardell’s thoughts on the best teams in each region.

All VCT 2023 Teams

VCT 2023 Predictions: Americas

  • 100 Thieves
  • Cloud9
  • Evil Geniuses
  • FURIA Esports
  • KRÜ Esports
  • Levitán
  • LOUD
  • MIBR
  • NRG
  • Sentinels 
Who Would You Bet On?

Home of the best VCT teams, North America is where the real Valorant action is at! We asked Wardell who he would bet on in the upcoming VCT Americas League. He ranked the best and worst VCT Americas teams in a tier list - you don’t want to miss these predictions! 

With 100Thieves Vs. Evil Geniuses, Wardell would place his bets on 100Thieves to take home the crown, believing they are a “young squad hungry to win, and all individually talented.” Despite this prediction, he placed 100Thieves in A-tier due to their lack of experience compared to other established powerhouses like Cloud9 and NRG. 

If KRÜ Esports and Levitán came to blows, Wardell would place his faith in KRÜ because “they have made it to championships before” and have what it takes to win. 

Wardell also expressed his doubts about Evil Geniuses due to their sizeable 10-man roster and “can’t see how that’s going to work,” placing them in B-tier. 

Will we see Wardell’s predictions come to life? Keep an eye on our VCT Americas event overview page to find out! Check out our Twitter video campaign below, where Wardell spills the tea on all the VCT Americas teams.

VCT 2023 Predictions: EMEA

  • BBL Esports
  • Fnatic
  • FUT Esports
  • Giants
  • Karmine Corp
  • KOI
  • Natus Vincere (Na’Vi)
  • Team Heretics
  • Team Liquid
  • Team Vitality

While Wardell isn’t a die-hard fan of the EMEA VCT leagues, he still has some thrilling thoughts to share about his top three picks for EMEA.

He shared that Team Liquid are S-tier, closely followed by Na’Vi and Fnatic in A-tier. Wardell believes that Team Liquid will crush the competition and come out on top as the ultimate VCT EMEA champion!

Check out his full ranking for VCT EMEA league here for the best and worst teams here.

VCT 2023 Predictions: Pacific 

  • Detonation FocusMe
  • DRX
  • Gen.G
  • Global Esports
  • Paper Rex
  • Rex Regum Queon
  • T1
  • Talon Esports
  • Team Secret
  • ZETA Division

Wardell thinks the VCT Pacific League is full of stiff competition, with three outstanding teams rising to become the cream of the crop. But who will win? 

Wardell’s money is on Paper Rex as they are “young and hungry to win.” It was a close call, but he ultimately chose them to take the crown over T1. DRX clinched the third spot in Wardell’s top three Pacific teams. 

With such fierce competition and well-balanced teams, who will come out on top? Bet on VCT Pacific 2023 with Rivalry!

Check out our news blog for a more in-depth overview of the VCT 2023 Pacific League, including the full schedule, format, and current standings.

Final Thoughts

We want to thank Wardell for partnering with us to create some sick content, and we’re excited to make some gains in the VCT 2023 season with #WinWithWardell! Remember that all VCT 2023 predictions made by Wardell are entirely based on his thoughts and analysis. Please take them with a pinch of salt and form your own opinions with careful research before placing any bets with us.