EDG aiming for first-ever successful VALORANT Champions defense – a look at China’s 4 representatives

China has rapidly become one of Valorant’s most exciting regions, with EDward Gaming winning VALORANT Champions 2024 and Wolves pulling off a magical run at Masters Toronto to come third. Four teams — Bilibili Gaming, Dragon Ranger Gaming, EDward Gaming, and Xi Lai Gaming — arrive at Champions Paris to represent the region.

Bilibili Gaming (BLG): China’s New Powerhouse

BLG are best known for their two wins over NRG, but this year, they’ve started dominating the Chinese scene as well. They had a podium finish at all three Chinese events and qualified for Masters Toronto after narrowly missing out at Masters Bangkok. The team’s trademark aggression, facilitated by their star duelist, helps them find early advantages in the game.

BLG hit their stride in Stage 2. They were sent to the lower bracket by DRG but exacted revenge on DRG in the grand final with a 3–1 win, cementing them as the first seed from China. Their first game will see them face off against MIBR, who have been struggling in recent months, giving them a chance to continue their momentum.

Standout Player: Whzy was a breakout star in 2025. His aggressive duelist play, reflected in high ACS and FKPR during Stage 2, made him one of the scariest openers in the world. If BLG succeed in Paris, it will likely be on the back of his impact.

Dragon Ranger Gaming (DRG): From Ascension Winners to Champs

DRG’s journey has been meteoric. They first entered the league via an Ascension trophy in 2023 and quickly proved themselves to be a talented team that learned incrementally. While the team was not able to qualify for both earlier international majors this year, they found a top-two finish at Stage 2 to qualify for Champions.

During Stage 2,  they beat EDG and XLG to advance through the upper bracket to the grand final, where, despite losing to BLG, they were able to take a map off the eventual winners. As an Ascension team, their survival in VCT China depends on outperforming XLG in Paris — the team that finishes higher automatically keeps its spot. Their first game will be against Masters Bangkok winners T1, so they must bring their A game.

Standout Player: Their sentinel player vo0kashu won the Best Sentinel award during Stage 2, and put up incredible stats throughout the event. However, due to visa issues, he might not be able to make it, meaning DRG had to look for a super sub in Demon1. His signing brought international pedigree to the roster with his 2023 Champs MVP performance, despite his rough 2025.

EDward Gaming (EDG): China’s Trophy-winning Veterans

EDG may not have reached the highs of their 2024 year, but their consistency kept them in contention for Champions this year. They were able to make it to Bangkok and placed third right after winning Kickoff. However, they narrowly missed out on their first international in years at Masters Toronto due to a fourth-place finish in Stage 1.

Stage 2 saw them look a bit worn, dropping into the lower bracket after a 2-0 loss to DRG, but they ultimately finished third, garnering enough circuit points to qualify for Champions. Their opening game will see them go up against NRG, a team which had a rough year but had an incredible run during Stage 2.

Standout Player: ZmjjKK remains the centerpiece of EDG. Known for his incredible duelist play, with one of the best FKPR globally, he has delivered at multiple events, local and international, and continues to showcase strong stats.

Xi Lai Gaming (XLG): VCT China Stage 1 Champions

XLG’s 2025 was a grind after entering VCT by winning Ascension. They failed to qualify for Masters Bangkok but went back to the drawing board for Stage 1, managing to pull off a spectacular run to lift their first VCT China trophy. At Toronto, despite qualifying directly to playoffs as the first seed, the team was unable to win a game. Stage 2 saw them finish 4th, meaning they’d scraped enough points to ensure their Champions qualification.

Their opening match is against Masters Toronto winners Paper Rex, who are coming off their dominant Stage 2 win, ensuring this game will be an uphill climb. As an Ascension team, their survival in VCT China depends on outperforming DRG in Paris — the team that finishes higher keeps its spot.

Standout Player: Their young duelist Rarga has shown flashes of brilliance but struggled with consistency, with the games that XLG won almost always having him on top of the scoreboard. If XLG are to pull off an upset, they’ll need him at his best.