No Spanish Flag in Badalona: Heretics and GiantX Fall in the VCT Play-In

The VCT event in Badalona was meant to be a celebration for the Spanish Valorant community, with two home teams hoping to compete on their own turf. That won't be happening. According to Marca eSports, both Team Heretics and GiantX have been eliminated in the Play-In stage, meaning neither will be at the finals taking place in the Catalan city.

The news matters because of what it represents beyond a single result. Spain has spent years establishing itself as one of the strongest Valorant markets in Europe, with powerful organizations, content creators with huge reach and a fanbase that packs arenas. Having the big event on Spanish soil go ahead without Spanish teams on the stage leaves an obvious void, both competitively and emotionally for those of us who were following the tournament hoping to see our own in the final round.

What you need to know

• The VCT finals are being held in Badalona, with the added draw of a home crowd.
• Team Heretics and GiantX, the two Spanish representatives, were eliminated in the Play-In.
• As a result, neither will play the finals at home, a scenario Marca eSports flatly describes as a disaster.
• The elimination comes before the decisive stage, leaving Spanish fans without a home team to cheer for at the event.

The context: an opportunity slipping away

A Play-In is, by definition, a survival stage: you go in to earn the right to stay in the tournament, not to show off. And that's exactly where both teams fell by the wayside. For Heretics, an organization used to being among Europe's elite and backed by one of the loudest fanbases on the continent, going out before the finals is a considerable blow to its image. For GiantX, which has been patiently building its Valorant project, the elimination leaves the feeling that the definitive leap still hasn't come.

The detail that stings the most is the setting. Playing in Badalona meant competing with the arena on your side, with pressure turned into momentum and with media exposure you don't get at just any tournament. The organizations, the players and the content creators tied to both clubs had a massive visibility platform here. Now, others will be the ones making the most of it.

Who it affects and what changes

The impact isn't limited to the two teams. The Spanish-speaking community as a whole loses a reason to connect with the event: fans who don't follow the scene consistently usually get hooked when a home team is in play, and that hook is gone. For the streamers and commentators who make a living covering the competition, audience interest will predictably be lower without the local team storyline. And for the organizations, the conclusion is unavoidable: it's time to review rosters, preparation and decision-making before the next opportunity.

Our take

At Underworld Lordz we're not going to sugarcoat it: this is a failure for the Spanish scene as a whole, and we say that with full respect for the players, who are the first to suffer from it. When the finals are in your own country and you have two representatives with resources, structure and a fanbase, the bare minimum was to fight for a place in Badalona. Going out in the Play-In, the stage where ambitious teams are supposed to earn their spot, says a lot about the level brought to this event.

From a competitive player's perspective, the lesson is clear: the brand, the sponsors and the community don't win maps. Preparation, reading the meta and the ability to perform under pressure in single-elimination formats do. We'd like to see Spanish teams arrive at these tournaments with the mindset that the Play-In isn't a formality, but the first final. If this result proves anything, it's that the European scene doesn't forgive even the slightest lapse.

For content creators, the blow is real too. A lot of content is built around the local teams' storyline and the chance to experience the event live with them in play. Still, there's an opportunity here: whoever can tell what happened well, analyze it honestly and keep covering the tournament without leaning on the home team as an excuse will win over an audience looking for more than just cheerleading. The scene grows when criticism is constructive, not when people look the other way.

What do you think?

We know there are opinions to suit every taste: some think it's a one-off bad run, others believe the problem is structural. We've given you our stance, now we want yours. Do you think Heretics and GiantX can bounce back in the short term, or does the Spanish Valorant scene need a deeper change? Tell us in the team chat or on our Discord.