BEIJING, May 10 - After 470 days, Edward Gaming won the Champions Trophy at VCT: China Stage 1 in Beijing. This is the ninth champion title for EDG, who is also the 2024 VCT world champion.

On May 10, the final played out as an intense best-of-five showdown. Though EDG had defeated their opponents 2-0 in the winners’ bracket final before, XLG fought back, forcing the two sides into a decisive fifth game.

After grinding through 16 rounds, EDG were the first to reach match point. In the 17th round, Jieni7 closed out the game, securing EDG a 3–2 victory over XLG and the title of VCT CN Stage 1 Playoffs Finals champions. The Finals MVP was awarded to EDG’s player Smoggy.

Organized by Hero Esports, the playoffs also served as the Beijing stop of the “Valorant Tour,” a series of events that drew many dedicated Valorant fans.

During the finals’ opening ceremony, DJ Chace delivered an electrifying musical performance, with in-game character showed on panoramic surround screens. The players from both teams then took the stage, interacting with the crowd.

Alongside the finals, Hero Esports also organized all-star matches for both the PC and mobile versions of Valorant, offering the audience an entertaining interlude. Chinese singer Wang Junkai, playing as Jett, delivered a stunning performance—securing a quadra kill that left the crowd in awe.

The playoffs also determined the Chinese region’s qualifiers for the London Masters. XLG secured the first ticket, dark-horse team DRG claimed a spot, and EDG will also compete in the Masters.

The three teams will head to London in June to square off against nine top-tier squads from the other three major regions in a championship showdown.