Should VCT change its rules after Masters London champion Leviatán missed Champions Shanghai?

After Leviatán, the newly crowned champions of Masters London, failed to qualify for Champions Shanghai, a wave of debate about the VCT points system erupted. Should a team that wins an international tournament be denied a spot in the year's most prestigious event just because of a points deficit early in the season? Leviatán's 2026 season started poorly. They were missing star rookie Bruno 'Neon' Rodríguez – who later won MVP at Masters – due to age restrictions (Neon was under 18 at Kickoff). That absence cost them crucial points from the very first stage. Despite a dominant victory at Masters London, they only accumulated 15 VCT points – not enough to surpass NRG and G2 Esports in an Americas region that caster Sliggy called 'absolutely stacked.' Sliggy also pointed out that Leviatán shares part of the blame: they self-banned their best maps like Split (with an 11-0 record) and experimented with an unfamiliar Neon-Phoenix composition in low-stakes matches. These tactical decisions inadvertently reduced their point-earning chances. However, the core question remains: is a system that gives no automatic berth to a major tournament winner truly fair? The VCT points system prioritises season-long consistency over peak moments. This can penalise teams that peak early, like Leviatán. In a weaker region, 15 points might have been enough – but in the Americas, where at least five world-class teams compete, the threshold is much higher. If Riot Games does not adjust the rules soon, we may see another world champion left watching from home. In conclusion, this incident serves as a reminder that esports leagues need to balance celebrating champions with maintaining healthy competition. Leviatán deserves to be at Champions, but they must also own their tactical mistakes. The ball is now in Riot's court: will they dare to change to preserve the legendary status of esports?