Fortress and Touch launch Oceania route to VCT Pacific LCQ

Fortress and Touch, with support from Riot Games, announced an Oceania qualification pathway that sends eight teams to an Oceanic Regional Final. The Regional Final winner advances to the Pacific Last Chance Qualifier, which offers four spots into VCT Pacific Stage 2 Play-Ins.

Four Regional Final places come from Premier results: the top two teams from Act 1 and the top two teams from Act 2. An online open qualifier on May 23-24 admits up to 64 teams in a single-elimination, best-of-3 bracket and advances two teams. Two LAN qualifiers take place June 6-7 in Sydney and Melbourne; each LAN hosts 16 teams and produces one city winner.

The Oceanic Regional Final will be contested across two weekends, June 13-14 and June 20-21, with eight teams in the field. The LAN qualifiers are expected to use group-stage play followed by single-elimination playoffs. Each LAN carries a $4,000 prize pool and a $60 per-player entry fee; online registration is free.

Online qualifier sign-ups opened May 5 and LAN registrations open May 21, according to Fortress. Riot and Fortress have not published a complete rulebook covering roster locks, substitution policies or how seeding will be handled across the qualification routes.

Fortress has indicated the player pool may include competitors from nations beyond Australia and New Zealand. Passport and travel requirements for Pacific LCQ travel could affect which rosters are able to compete internationally.

The pathway combines established Premier rosters and grassroots teams through league results, open online play and local LAN events. Organizers and teams will monitor registration and turnout as the events proceed.