GiantX moved closer to being crowned VALORANT Champions 2026 after overcoming Challenger side Eintracht Frankfurt in the VCT EMEA Stage 2 Play-Ins, even if the run wasn't as simple as the opening map suggested it would be (they were 0-6 down at one point). Speaking to THESPIKE.GG after the series, GiantX's westside acknowledged the team can do better and pointed to a recurring problem of bad starts that force them into mounting a dramatic comeback all too often.
The win was a three-map affair. GiantX dominated on Lotus before Frankfurt pushed back hard on the following two maps, with the VCT side needing to recover an early deficit on both. Play-Ins run from Aug. 5 to 17 in a 12-team double-elimination bracket that mixes eight Group Stage teams with four sides from EMEA Regional Challengers. Eintracht Frankfurt earned their spot through the EMEA Last Chance Qualifier.
