VCT 2026 EMEA Stage 2 Week 1 Betting Predictions – Saturday, July 18

The opening week of VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 EMEA Stage 2 continues on Saturday, July 18, with another pair of games, as Gentle Mates face FUT Esports, followed by a clash between Team Heretics and Team Liquid.

Esportbet brings you VALORANT betting predictions and free expert picks for the two fixtures, along with odds courtesy of the top-rated esports bookmakers.

• 

  Fast Payouts

---

Gentle Mates kicked off VCT 2026 EMEA Stage 2 with a victory against PCIFIC Esports, but it was not the most convincing display.

Gentle Mates needed a reverse sweep to come out ahead, and while they did it with 13-5 on Sunset and 13-4 on Ascent, seeing Martin “marteen” Pátek and his crew drop a map against one of the league’s weakest teams is anything but inspiring.

• 

  Live Betting Odds

FUT Esports also failed to impress in their opening match of the stage, losing to Natus Vincere with 6-13 on Split and 9-13 on Ascent.

In FUT’s defence, they have to be fatigued from playing in the Esports World Cup, and Natus Vincere are anything but a weak team.

The best VALORANT bookmakers have Gentle Mates listed as -151.52 favourites to defeat FUT, which does not sound fair. FUT have been in much better shape over the last couple of months and should be priced much closer to even money.

At +110, it is hard to pass on FUT Esports to take down Gentle Mates and bounce back from a rough start to the stage.

---

Team Liquid lost their first match of VCT EMEA Stage 2 against Eternal Fire, with 6-13 on Split and 2-13 on Lotus.

In their defence, Liquid had to play without their in-game leader Ayaz “nAts” Akhmetshin and with their head coach, Ivo “LohaN” Albino.

• 

  The bookies' bookie

Losing an IGL and playing with a coach is a big handicap, and Liquid are likely going to have to deal with that again this Saturday, as nAts has only recently celebrated the birth of his child.

Team Heretics have struggled in the current meta and have not looked like themselves since winning VCT EMEA Stage 1.

However, even though Heretics will need more time to find traction, they should never struggle against Liquid, who are down a key player.