1. General Information

1.1. Designation

1.1.1. In the following, the “Equal eSports Queens League” is referred to as the “League”.

1.1.2. Any natural person who identifies as female and has a legal Valorant account is entitled to participate in the league and is hereafter referred to as a “player”. An association of at least five (5) female players is required to participate in the League and is hereinafter referred to as a “Team”.

1.1.3. Any natural person who has been authorized by PROJECT V GmbH to carry out the administration based on the rules and regulations is referred to in the following as the “League Administration”.

1.2. League administration

1.2.1. The league administration is formed by PROJECT V GmbH.

PROJECT V GmbH

Alte Linner Str. 93-97

47799 Krefeld

Germany

1.2.2. The league is managed by employees of the league administration:

Name	Role
„LetItReign“	Product Manager
„derBovo"	Head of League Operations
„Kampfi“	League Admin
„monka"	League Admin
„Lacyy"	League Admin
„Störni"	League Admin
„Lizzi"	League Admin Trainee
„Green"	League Admin Trainee
„Maggi"	League Admin Trainee

1.3. Questions and adjustments

1.3.1. Any questions or complaints about the league must be submitted via a Support-Ticket. The league administration cannot be contacted by other means, such as private messages, and will not answer any questions via this channel. If statements are made about other ways, these are not binding. The League Administration accepts no liability for the accuracy of the statements.

1.3.2. Each player recognizes the right of PROJECT V GmbH to adapt or change the rules at any time without PROJECT V GmbH having to inform the players of the adaptations and/or changes.

1.4. Data protection provisions

1.4.1. As a journalistic medium, PROJECT V GmbH and its partners discuss and report on the league through all its channels and are not obliged to inform those affected by the reporting in advance of their rights as data subjects. Furthermore, no consent is required for the journalistic processing of personal data.

1.4.2. Each player who takes part in a match in the league agrees that names, logos and sound and image recordings in which the players are depicted may be used free of charge for publications on PROJECT V GmbH websites, its social media channels and in the press. PROJECT V GmbH is granted the right to use, store and exploit this material without restriction in terms of time and place.

1.4.3. Every player is obliged to enter their Riot ID in their profile on the website. The player is only authorized to play if the Riot ID specified in the profile is used for playing. By participating in the league, all players agree that their Riot ID will be visible to third parties.

1.4.4. In order to avoid deception and fraud in competitions in which fairness and integrity in e-sports or cash and non-cash prizes are at stake, PROJECT V GmbH has a legitimate interest (GDPR recital 47) in pseudonymizing game accounts and storing them for up to five years after user accounts have been deleted.

2. Eligibility to play

2.1. Age

2.1.1 By participating in the league, the player confirms that she has reached the age of 16. Participation is excluded before the age of 16 (16th birthday).

2.2. Residence

2.2.1. To promote regional identity, which is important for fans and sponsors, each team must have at least two (2) residents of the DACH region in the starting line-up. A maximum of three (3) players from the EMEA region are permitted in the starting line-up.

2.2.2. Players are deemed to be resident if, at the time of registration, they either:

have a legal and permanent residence in a country of the DACH region or in Liechtenstein for at least six (6) months or
are a citizen of one of these countries

2.2.3. A player can only be considered a resident of one region at a time, regardless of their residency status in other regions. If they move, they remain a resident of their previous region until 6 months after the move.

2.2.4. The DACH-Residence has to be confirmed by an league admin in a video call. To get verified you can reach out to an admin via Support-Ticket or in your team channel on the discord server.

2.3. Up-to-dateness

2.3.1. Every player must have the latest version of Valorant installed and must ensure that they are aware of new updates in good time and install them on their system. Installing updates is not a valid reason for delaying a game.

2.3.2. Each player must have a valid Riot ID and a valid Discord ID in their profile on the website.

2.4. Eligibility

2.4.1. Only female players are eligible to play in the league.

2.4.2. The player must be able to provide a prove on request to the league administration. Due to the nature of this topic - this will be a case to case matter. The following documents can be used as proof of this:

ID card (not usable for germans, since it doesn't show the gender)
Passport
Birth certificate
Psychological letter of indication
For german citizens: Ergänzungsausweises der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Transidentität und Intersexualität e. V.

2.4.3. Separate Open Qualifiers for Gamechangers Contenders may be played as long as they do not belong to another VCT Game Changers VRC.

2.4.4. Players may be registered on a GameChangers VCT/VCL and VRC list at the same time. However, this is only possible if the players play in another league for the same organization as in EQUAL ESPORTS QUEENS.

2.4.5. If a player leaves a VRC team because she is promoted to a team that competes in the VCT GameChangers, the VRC team will receive another substitution. This can only be done with the explicit approval of the league administration. A VCT Game Changers team is considered as such as soon as the group stage of the current Main Event has been reached. Qualifying tournaments do not count.

2.4.6. All teams who are authorised to participate in EQUAL ESPORTS QUEENS are allowed to compete in the PROJECT V (DACH VRC) tournaments with their roster at the same time, even if they do not fulfill the 3/5 DACH roster rule.

2.4.7. To be eligible to participate, a player must be verified prior to the start of the first map of the match. This requirement applies to both Queen and DACH verification. Emergency Subs are not effected from this rule.

2.5. No Riot Employees

2.5.1. Team Members must not be employees of Riot Games Limited (RGL), the VRC Company or their Affiliates. 'Affiliate' means any person or entity that directly or indirectly owns or controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with those Riot entities. 'Control' means the power to direct the policies or management of an organization, including the appointment of directors, officers or managers.

2.6. Participation of serveral teams from the same organisation

2.6.1. Organisations are only allowed to field one team in the Pro Series. In the Amateur Series an organisation can field as many teams as there are groups in the series. There can only be one team in each group representing the same organisation.

2.6.2. Affiliation to an organisation is defined as follows:

If a team uses the same organisational structures as another team, it is considered to belong to the same organisation - even if the teams are managed under different names.
The ownership, control and influence relationships for the respective teams are also taken into account.
The league administration is responsible for assessing the affiliation. The teams are required to disclose the organisational structures upon request in order to identify them.

3. Roster rules

3.1. General

3.1.1. Each team must have five (5) players in the starting line-up at all times. A team has the option of adding three (3) additional players to the team. This means that a team may not have more than 8 players in the lineup at any time.

3.1.2. People with the role of “manager” are not eligible to play and do not count as players. Any number of people with the role of “manager” can be included in the team. Persons with the role of “manager/player” count as players.

3.2. Multiple teams

3.2.1. A person (player/manager/coach) may not be in more than one team within the league at the same time.

3.2.2. Persons with the role of “manager” (coaches also have this role) in a team may be male. This person may also be active as a player in a PROJECT V team.

3.2.3. Female players may play in both a EQUAL ESPORTS QUEENS and a PROJECT V team (but not simultaneously within a competition for more than one team).

3.2.4. Managers (not coaches) are allowed to be part of multiple teams as long as the teams are part of the same organisation.

3.3. Team slot

3.3.1. The team slot belongs to the majority of the team, who played the most matches in the current split.

3.3.2. Any deviating regulations (e.g. the transfer of ownership to a single natural or legal person) must be reported to the League Administration to be registred in the ownership register.

3.3.3. Any team in the Pro Series have to report a spot ownership to the League Administration until the start of their first split competing in the Pro Series. Without this report they are not allowed to participate in the tournament. They can still report the ownership according to rule 3.3.1..

3.3.4. Selling a team slot is not allowed. Teams slots can be transfered only with permission of the League Administration. Under no circumstances may there be any consideration for the spot.

3.4. Admission regulations

3.4.1. A maximum of one (1) new players may be admitted. A registration counts as a registration if:

a player plays a match
a player has been in the team for more than 7 days (even if they have not played a match)
the role is changed from “manager” to “manager/player” or to “player”

3.4.2. If a team takes on more players than the permitted number of players, the team is automatically disqualified from the league.

3.4.3. If a player actively plays in a team and decides to change teams, they will be suspended for 7 days after leaving the previous team. They may not join a new team until this suspension (7 days) has expired.

3.4.4. In the following scenarios, a player has left the team:

Player actively leaves the team on the website
Team reports the withdrawal from the league to the league administration
Team reports the departure of a player to the league administration
Team is excluded from the league → the day of the official announcement of the exclusion by the league administration applies

3.4.5. In the case of extenuating circumstances, such as temporary visa issues, a competitive suspension or a medical emergency the roster requirements may be waived temporarily. Grant of this waiver is at the sole discretion of the Tournament.

3.5. Rosterlock

3.5.1. The following applies in Pro Series:

Rosterlock 1: The roster must be registered by 25.06.2025 - 23:59, after which the admission rules will be applied.
Rosterlock 2: The playoffs, the final and, if applicable, the relegation must be played with the players and coaches who are in the team at the end of the group stage (22.07.2025 - 23:59). Later entries are no longer permitted (this also applies to coaches).

3.5.2. The following applies in Amateur Series:

Rosterlock 1: roster must be registered by 25.06.2025 - 23:59, after which the admission rules will be applied.
Rosterlock 2: The relegation must be played with the players and coaches who are in the team at the end of the group stage (25.07.2025 - 23:59). Later entries are no longer permitted (this also applies to coaches).

3.6. Coaches

3.6.1. Teams may appoint a coach who may be present at each match and in the lobby. However, the coach may only communicate with the players during agent and map selection, time-outs, half-time and between maps.

3.6.2. Only one coach is allowed to communicate with the team during a match. Assistant coaches are only allowed to communicate with the Head Coach in the official provided Discord or TeamSpeak channels. Coaches can we swapped between maps.

3.7. Names

3.7.1. A name or Riot ID must not contain offensive, vulgar or hurtful speech in any language.

3.7.2. No company names, trademarks or other intellectual property of Riot, Valorant or third parties may be used without the prior written permission of the League Administration. For approval, the player must provide the league administration with a license agreement, sponsorship agreement or other proof of proper use of the intellectual property. Regardless of approval, the player assumes full risk and responsibility for the lawful use of a third party's company name or intellectual property in their name or Riot ID.

3.7.3. The league administration reserves the right to reject a chosen name and ask the player to choose another name that complies with the rules and guidelines.

3.8. Sponsors

3.8.1. Participating teams may not accept sponsorship from any of the following:

Any non-Riot video game developer or publisher;
Any non-Riot esport, video game tournament, league, or event;
Gambling, sportsbook and casinos;
Fantasy esports operators (including daily fantasy);
Any prescription drugs or drugs that are not “over-the-counter” drugs;
Firearms, ammunition, or other weapons, and peripherals thereof;
Pornography, pornographic products, and other adult content or platforms;
Tobacco products or paraphernalia;
Non-beer/wine alcohol products (including non-alcoholic beverages marketed by alcohol companies), or other intoxicants the sale or use of which is regulated by Applicable Law;
Sellers of or marketplaces for virtual items known to be counterfeit or illegal;
Seller of or marketplaces for goods or services that violate the Riot Games Terms of Service;
Cryptocurrencies, or any other unregulated financial instruments or markets;
Political campaigns or political action committees;
Charities that endorse particular religious or political positions, or are not reputable (by way of example, Red Cross, Stand-Up to Cancer and other similar mainstream charities would be considered reputable);
Any other esports team, owner, or affiliate thereof.
Other categories may be provided by Riot.

Conditional Categories (i.e. with extra conditions and requiring Riot EMEA Competitive Ops approval for each case):

Cryptocurrency Exchanges
Alcoholic beverages
Blockchain technology
NFTs
CBD Cosmetic Products
Government Entities

3.9. Team logos

3.9.1. Team logos must not contain offensive, discriminatory or otherwise inappropriate content.

4. Format of the competition

4.1. League system

4.1.1. The league is played in a division system. Each team plays against each other in a best-of-3 matchup. There is a Pro Series (former Division 1) and an Amateur Series (former Division 2).

4.1.2. At the end of the split (with the exception of any promotions and demotions due to relegation), the teams retain the slots they have earned in the series.

4.1.3. In the case of broadcasts of matches, the team will be informed of the broadcast in advance in their team or match channel.

4.2. Relegation & Playoffs

4.2.1. The best 4 teams of Amateur Series (top 2 from every group for 2 groups, top 1 from every group for 4 groups) play against the bottom 2 teams (last in every group) of Pro Series in the relegation.

4.2.2. The relegation will be played in a double elimination bracket. The teams come from the Pro Series will start in the upper bracket round 2. The Amateur Series start in upper bracket round 1. The winner of the upper and the lower bracket finals receive the spot in the Pro Series.

4.2.3. The best 6 teams of Pro Series (top 3 from both groups) qualifier for the Pro Series Playoffs in a Double Elimination Bracket. The first Seed from each group start in upper Bracket round 2. The second Seed from each group face the third Seed from the opposite group in round 1 of the upper bracket.

4.2.4. The best 2 teams in Pro Series Playoffs qualify for the finals. The finals will be held offline, more detailed information will be communicated to the teams concerned.

4.3. Tiebreaker

4.3.1. Head-to-Head Tie-Breaker Process

(1) Total match score
(2) Total map differential
(3) Total round differential
(4) Bo1 match is held for tie-breakers

4.3.2. 3+-Way Tie-Breaker Process:

(1) Move teams to Minileague; considering only matches between the tied teams
(2) Match score for all teams in the tie-breaker
The team with a head-to-head advantage automatically moves on from the tie-breaker. Tie-breakers for the remaining teams are determined using the appropriate tie-breaker process.
If no team has the head-to-head advantage (i.e., all teams are tied 1-1 head-to-head), proceed to step (3) of the 3+ way tie-breaker process.
(3) Map differential between tied teams
(4) Round differential between tied teams
(5) Bo1 match is held for tie-breakers

4.4. Postponement of matches

4.4.1. The following applies to Pro Series:

Matches cannot be postponed if they are being streamed.
If matches are not streamed, they can be postponed with the consent of the opponent and the league administration.
Postponed matches must be completed before the start of Matchday 5 (22.07.2025). The teams otherwise have a free choice of dates.

4.4.2. The following applies to Amateur Series:

Matches may be postponed with the consent of the opposing team.
For matches that have a registered broadcast, a postponement must be submitted to the league administration at least 12 hours before the match date (already confirmed by the opposing team).
For postponed matches, the date can be freely chosen within 1 week before or after the default match date. Match postponements by more than one week require confirmation by the league administration and an urgent reason. A postponed match must be completed by the start of the last groupstage matchday (expected: 25.07.2025).

4.5. Default wins

4.5.1. Canceling games is generally not permitted. All matches must be played out.

4.5.2. If a match is surrendered after the start of the game, it is generally counted as a default loss, regardless of the intermediate result of the match.

4.5.3. If the surrender vote is accidentally used ingame, it is valid for the match and not just for the current map. This is independent of the intermediate result of the best-of-3.

4.5.4. The league administration is authorized to interrupt matches (e.g. health problems of a player to an unacceptable extent). The interim result of the best-of-3 and the current map will stand. In any case, the map veto will stand and the decider map must be played at a later date.

4.6. VCT Game Changers Contenders Qualifier

4.6.1. To determine the two teams, who represent the DACH region in the Contenders Series 2, a qualifier will be played at the 04.-06.07.2025.

4.6.2. All registered teams from the Amateur and Pro Series are invited to compete in this qualifier.

4.6.3. The qualifier will be played in a double elimination bracket with randomized seeding. The exact timetable will be shared with the teams after the registration for split 3 has ended. (25.06.2025)

4.7. Prizepool

4.7.1. The prize pool will be divided as follows:

Place 1.500€
Place 1.000€
Place 500€
Place 500€

5. Match process

5.1. Punctuality

5.1.1. For Amateur Series the following applies:

Each team has 15 minutes after the agreed match start time to report ready on the website by clicking the “Ready Up” button.
If no report is made within these 15 minutes, the map veto will be skipped and the ready team will select the maps and sides. A team is considered as ready when the game has been started ingame.
If no report is made within 20 minutes after the start of the match, the first map is automatically counted as lost
If no report is made within 25 minutes after the start of the match, the entire best-of-3 will be counted as lost.
If both teams do not “Ready Up” within 15 minutes, the match will be closed without scoring (0-0).
The break between the maps may last a maximum of 12 minutes.
Repeated breaches of punctuality can lead to sanctions, including exclusion from the league.

5.1.2. For Pro Series the following applies:

Each team has to be ready for the map veto at the in the match channel announced start time.
If no report is made within these 10 minutes, the map veto will be skipped and the ready team will select the maps and sides.
If no report is made within 10 minutes after the announced latest lobby join time, the first map is automatically counted as lost.
If no report is made within 20 minutes after the announced latest lobby join time, the entire best-of-3 will be counted as lost.
If both teams do not “Ready Up” within 15 minutes, the match will be closed without scoring (0-0).
The break between the maps may last a maximum of 12 minutes.
Repeated breaches of punctuality can lead to sanctions, including exclusion from the league.

5.2. Competition patches

5.2.1. New agents - are automatically banned from the league for two weeks from their release. Example: Agent A is released on February 5, then it may be used in all matches from February 19. However, the league administration can make exceptions (e.g. for the relegation or the finals).

5.2.2. New maps - are automatically blocked for the league for four weeks from their release. Example: Map A is published on February 10, then Map A can be used in all matches from March 9. However, the league administration can make exceptions (e.g. for relegation or the finals).

Maps that were already in the map pool and are now being used again are not considered “new” maps, regardless of any changes made. The league administration will provide information on when changes to the map pool will be applied.

5.2.3. New weapons - are automatically blocked for the league for a two weeks from their release. Example: Weapon A was released on February 5, so weapon A can be used in all matches from February 19. However, the tournament organiser can make exceptions (e.g. for the relegation or the finals).

5.2.4. Additional restrictions - (e.g. disabling certain weapons) may be added by Riot or League Administration at any time if there are known bugs with items, agents, skins or abilities.

5.3. Recording of the match and communication

5.3.1. Every match in the league must be recorded. The recording must be made from the perspective of one player or coach involved and must include both the match and the communication. The League Administration recommends recording through an unlisted Youtube livestream. For LAN-Matches recording isn't required as long as an League Admin is present in the Voice-Channel.

5.3.2. The recordings must be saved no later than 7 days after each stage (groupstage, playoffs, relegation). The league administration can demand the upload of the recordings and will provide the platform to the teams.

5.3.3. In the event of non-compliance with the upload deadlines, the league administration reserves the right to impose sanctions on the team concerned, which may extend to disqualification.

5.3.4. All players are required to have a webcam setup that clearly captures the following during matches:

the player’s profile (face and upper body)

5.3.5. This Setup must be shared via Discord for the full duration of the match. A recording has to be made on request of the League Administration. For recordings it can be also required to capture a main monitor and/or the hand movement of the player. Failure to provide this setup upon request will result in sanctions, which may extend to disqualification.

5.4. Setting up the lobby

5.4.1. The 'Tournament' mode must be set and the 'Overtime: Win by two' option must be activated.

5.4.2. The default server for all games is 'Frankfurt'. If both teams agree, a change to another server is possible.

5.4.3. If observers are present in the lobby, they must be granted moderator rights. The green field, which deactivates the user interface for observers and casters, must not be checked. If this is the case, the game must be restarted.

5.5. Mapveto

5.5.1. The map veto should be carried out in the match channel on discord. In the event of disputes, only map vetos carried out in the match channel on discord can be protested in order to ensure traceability.

5.5.2. The map pool consists of: Ascent, Sunset, Haven, Icebox, Lotus, Pearl, Split. Starting with the Pro Series Playoffs (24.07.2025) the map pool will be changed to: Ascent, Sunset, Haven, Icebox, Lotus, Bind, Corrode. The relegation (starting 25.08.25) will be played with the map pool: Ascent, Sunset, Haven, Abyss, Lotus, Bind, Corrode.

5.5.3. On matchday, an admin will perform a coin flip in the matchroom on Discord, and the winner of this coin flip decides whether they want to be Team A or Team B. Team A begins the veto process, and the map for the game is selected according to the following procedure:

Best-of-one matches

Team A bans a map
Team B bans a map
Team A bans a map
Team B bans a map
Team A bans one map
Team B chooses one of the remaining maps
Team A chooses the side for the map

Best-of-three Matches

Team A bans a map
Team B bans a map
Team A chooses Map 1
Team B chooses the side for Map 1
Team B chooses Map 2
Team A chooses the side for map 2
Team A bans a map
Team B bans a map
remaining map = Decider Map (Map 3)
Team A chooses the side for the decider map (Map 3)

Best-of-five Matches

Team A bans a map
Team B bans a map
Team A chooses Map 1
Team B chooses the side for Map 1
Team B chooses Map 2
Team A chooses the side for Map 2
Team A chooses Map 3
Team B chooses the side for Map 3
Team B chooses Map 4
Team A chooses the side for Map 4
Map 5 is the only remaining map
Team B chooses the side for Map 5

5.5.4. If no match channel provided on discord the match chat on the website will replace it. In case no coin flip will be performed, the first named team will decides whether they want to be Team A or Team B.

5.6. Agent Select & Match Start

5.6.1. As soon as the agent selection begins, the players have 85 seconds to choose their agent. If an incorrect agent is selected by mistake, the opposing team must be informed immediately and the selection process is restarted. Once the timer has expired, the agent selection process is no longer restarted and the player must continue with their selection.

5.6.2. Players may not leave the map between the completion of the pick/ban and the start of the match.

5.7. Protests

5.7.1. Protests may only be submitted via the protest function on the match page or in the discord match channel. Protests submitted via Discord tickets, DM or similar will not be processed.

5.7.2. Protests concerning the ability of a team or a person to play must be submitted by the end of the 1st round at the latest. The opponent must be informed immediately and the game must be interrupted. No protests will be accepted after this deadline, as it is assumed that the teams are in agreement.

5.7.3. The content of the protests must be treated confidentially and publication is prohibited.

6. Breaks and crashes

6.1. Time-outs

6.1.1. Teams may take two 60-second time-outs per map, which are activated via the pause system in the game. In the event of overtime, each team receives an additional time-out.

6.2. Technical breaks

6.2.1. Technical breaks can be divided into two categories:

Interruption of the match (maximum delay of 10 minutes per map)
Examples: Connection loss, game crash, black screen, frozen computer
Checking the equipment (maximum 5 minutes per match, count towards the 10 minutes from point 1)
Examples: Mouse battery is empty, defective peripheral devices, audio failures

6.2.2. After the respective time limit has expired, the game must also be continued with fewer than five players. If a player is able to rejoin, they may continue to play normally from this point onwards.

6.2.3. Each player is responsible for ensuring that the peripherals and setup are checked and ready for use before the start of the game.

6.2.4. During technical breaks player are only allowed to move in an area that they can reach within 10 seconds.

6.3. Crashes

6.3.1. This ruling only applies for Admin hosted matches. Admins will only host the matches for the Pro Series Playoffs and LAN matches. Rounds in other matches will not be rerolled.

6.3.2. If a LAN match is interrupted for reasons beyond the control of the players (e.g. server or game crash), the league administration will restore the round using the in-game restore function. In certain cases, however, the league administration may also decide to replay the entire match.

6.3.3. In the event of interruptions to an online match that are beyond the control of the players (e.g. server or game crash), the previous result must be reconstructed as closely as possible. If the teams cannot agree on an exact result, the entire half will be replayed.

6.3.4. If the problem occurs in the first minute of the round before any damage has been done and the opponent and the league administration have been informed immediately, the round will be restored.

6.3.5. If the problem occurs during a round after damage has already been done but the outcome of the round can still be determined, the round will not be repeated or restored. The round is continued and scored. Exceptions can be made if the damage caused is considered insignificant (e.g. accidental damage to a fellow player at the start of the round).

6.3.6. If the problem occurs after damage has already been done and the outcome of the round can no longer be determined (e.g. server crash), the game will be restored at the start of the round.

6.3.7. If the problem occurs during a round that is already in full swing and the outcome of the round is obvious (e.g. a team disarms the spike and has 10 seconds left), but the round cannot continue (e.g. server crash), the round may be scored.

6.3.8. Matches will not be interrupted and rounds will not be restored or repeated if a participant is clearly responsible (e.g. incorrect purchase of a weapon).

7. Streaming and viewer regulations

7.1. Streaming

7.1.1. Matches that are not officially broadcast by the league may be streamed from the players' perspective (POV) with a delay of at least three minutes. This rule applies to both the players and the coach slot in the lobby. The settings "Show corpses" and "Show blood" must be set to "Off".

7.1.2. The casting of games from the observer slot is generally not permitted, unless the league administration instructs otherwise. In such a case, both teams will be informed in advance.

7.1.3. Teams can always request an observer for their not officially broadcasted matches. The League Administration will try to always provide an observer if requested, but will not quarantee any.

7.2. Watching

7.2.1. Spectating at matches is prohibited unless otherwise instructed by the league administration. Coaches are exempt from this rule as long as they are officially part of the team and watch the game from their team's coach slot.

7.3. Watch parties

7.3.1. The holding of watch parties or reacting to the official league stream must be requested in advance from the league administration. Approval for a watch party must be confirmed in writing by the league administration. Requests for this can be submitted via a support ticket with the option "Watchparty Anfrage".

7.3.2. The league administration reserves the right to revoke permission for a watch party at any time. In such a case, the person concerned will be informed in writing.

7.3.3. Partners and sponsors of the league that advertise in the official stream may not be altered, superimposed or obscured in any way and must be clearly visible at all times. Own sponsors can be integrated into the stream as long as this does not cover up any official partners or sponsors of the league. The integration of own sponsors via panels below the stream, chatbots or through shoutouts is also permitted.

7.3.4. After the end of the watch party, the statistics of the stream must be sent to the league administration within three days. This must be done using the following form:

https://forms.gle/K2czbjdqrJqAE8CV9

The information to be transmitted includes:

Date of the stream
Duration of the stream
average number of viewers
maximum number of spectators
individual viewers
unique chatter
live calls

7.3.5. If the required information is not submitted to the league administration after the stream has ended, the league administration reserves the right to withdraw authorization for future watch parties.

7.3.6. The following guidelines apply to streams and watch parties:

Title of the stream must contain "EQUAL ESPORTS QUEENS Watch Party"
Content that could damage or attack the league or its image is strictly prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, insults, racist statements, threats or other illegal content.
The community and streaming guidelines (Terms of Service) of the respective platform must always be adhered to. The streamer is responsible for compliance with these guidelines and for the content of the broadcast. The League accepts no liability for content that does not comply with the guidelines.
The stream should take place in a positive and inclusive environment. Topics such as politics or religion are prohibited in order to focus on the game.

8. Disciplinary measures and sanctions

8.1. Investigation by the League Administration

8.1.1. The League Administration has the right to monitor compliance with these Rules and the Global Policy and to investigate potential violations. By agreeing to these Rules and the Global Policy, each Team Member agrees to cooperate fully with any internal or external investigation by the League Administration in connection with a suspected violation.

8.1.2. Team members are obliged to tell the truth in investigations conducted by or on behalf of the league administration. They may not obstruct or mislead such investigations or withhold evidence.

8.1.3. The League reserves the right to issue a public statement announcing that a Team Member or Team has been penalized. Any team member or team named in such a statement hereby waives the right to take legal action against the operator of EQUAL ESPORTS QUEENS, PROJECT V, Riot Games Limited ('RGL') and/or their parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, employees, agents or contractors for the release of this statement.

8.2. Sanctions

8.2.1. If the League Administration determines that a Team Member or Team has violated these Rules, the Global Policy or applicable law, Riot and the League Administration may take one or more of the following disciplinary actions:

verbal or written public warnings
Withdrawal of prizes
Cancellation of matches
Exclusion from the tournament
Loss of a slot
Suspensions and bans
Bans from future competitions organized or controlled by Riot or its affiliates

8.2.2. If a team member or team has previously been disqualified or banned from participating in events where VALORANT is played in any region of the world, or has been found guilty of a particularly serious offense outside of the Riot Esports ecosystem, the League Administration may disqualify or ban that team member or team from participating in official competitions.

8.2.3. Comprehensible, harmful or inappropriate behavior on platforms outside PROJECT V may also lead to penalties up to and including exclusion.

8.2.4. Players who receive an in-game ban for any reason are also excluded from participating in official competitions.

8.3. Repeated violations

8.3.1. Repeated violations will result in more severe penalties, up to and including disqualification from official competitions.

8.4. Finality of decisions

8.4.1. Unless expressly stated otherwise, all violations of these rules and the Global Policy are punishable by law, regardless of whether they were committed intentionally or unintentionally. The attempt to commit such violations will also be sanctioned.

8.4.2. All decisions of the League Administration with respect to (a) violations of these Rules and the Global Policy and (b) the appropriate disciplinary action (or combination of actions) shall be final and binding.

8.5. No 'safe haven'

8.5.1. A potential team member serving an active suspension from an esports publisher or industry-recognized governing body is ineligible to participate in official competitions unless specifically authorized by Riot.

8.6. Right to change

8.6.1. Riot and the League Administration may update, modify or amend these Rules and the Global Policy to reflect developments in the industry, changes to the Esports business model and updates to VALORANT. Participation in an official competition constitutes acceptance of the amended rules, instructions and notices.

9. Design and construction

9.1. Right to interpretation

9.1.1. All matters relating to this League not covered by these Rules or the Global Policy are subject to interpretation by Riot and the League Administration.

9.1.2. All decisions made by Riot and the League Administration regarding the interpretation of these Rules and the Global Policy are final and binding.

9.2. Economic judgment

9.2.1. Whenever these Rules or the Global Policy grant Riot or the League Administration the right to take, refrain from taking, approve or disapprove, grant or deny authorizations, or make other decisions, Riot and the League Administration shall have the right to act in their sole discretion, unless expressly stated otherwise. In doing so, the interests of Riot and the League Administration, as well as the short- and long-term interests of the Official Competitions, this League, VALORANT and the business operations of Riot, its affiliates and the Tournament Organizer will be considered.

9.2.2. Neither a Team nor a Team Member shall have any claim or right of action based on an allegation that Riot or the League Administration has unreasonably withheld or delayed any approval, authorization, decision or other action under these Rules or the Global Policy.

10. Code of conduct

All teams and team members must maintain the highest standards of personal integrity and good sportsmanship at all times. Team members must conduct themselves in a professional and sportsmanlike manner when dealing with other participants, league administration, media, sponsors and fans.

10.1. Integrity in competition

10.1.1. The following is a non-exhaustive list of behaviors that impair the integrity of competition and are therefore prohibited:

Cheating - any form of cheating is prohibited. This includes any modification of the VALORANT game client by a team or team member as well as the use of cheating devices or programs.
Exploiting bugs - The deliberate exploitation of bugs in the game in order to gain an advantage is prohibited. Exploiting is defined as any action that uses game features that, in the judgment of the league administration, do not function as intended and jeopardize the purpose of VALORANT. At the start of a match, team members may confidentially inquire with the League Administration whether a particular action is considered an exploit. Riot reserves the right to subsequently decide whether an exploit exists.
Non-compliance with regulations - Team members are obliged to follow the instructions and decisions of the league administration. Refusal to comply with these instructions is prohibited.
vulgar and hateful language - During live events, online events, media events or in any communication related to official competitions or VALORANT, team members may not use abusive, slanderous, defamatory, obscene, discriminatory, threatening or vulgar language. The publication, transmission or dissemination of such statements and their use in social media, public events or in VALORANT streams is prohibited. This rule applies to all languages. Team members may also not encourage people to violate this rule.
Violence - Team members must resolve their differences respectfully and without violence, threats or intimidation (physical or psychological). Violence against participants, fans or league administration at live events is strictly prohibited.

11. Communication

11.1. Discord

11.1.1. At least one team member must be present on the official VALORANT DE - PROJECT V Discord at all times. The permanent invitation link is: discord.com/invite/valode

11.1.2. Via the PROJECT V - VALO DE server, each player must verify themselves for the EQUAL ESPORTS QUEENS Discord server. This is done by submitting a support ticket with the option “Queens Verifizierung“.

11.1.3. Each team receives a team channel on the EQUAL ESPORTS QUEENS Discord server from the league. This team channel is used for communication between the team and the league administration.

11.1.4. Teams participating in the Pro Series also receive a team channel on the PROJECT DACH TeamSpeak server. Teams participating in the Amateur Series can also request an own channel on the TeamSpeak server.

11.1.5. The communication must be in this team channel during an official match day.

11.1.6. During Admin hosted matches both teams must be connected to Discord and TeamSpeak at the same time, but only one has to be used for communication.

11.2. Communication between coaches and team

11.2.1. The coach/coaches may speak to the team in the following situations:

until the end of the purchase phase of round 1
during a tactical timeout
when changing sides until the end of the purchase phase

11.2.2. The coach/coaches may NOT speak to the team in the following situations:

during a tech timeout
whenever the points in 11.2.1 do not apply

11.2.3. Coaches are allowed to talk to the team during tech timeout as long as they are only communication to fix the tech issue.

12. Bugs and exploits

12.1. Types of bugs

A "bug" is an error or malfunction in the game that produces an incorrect, unintended or unexpected result. The classification of bugs is determined by the Esports Bug List, which is exclusively available to the league administration.

12.1.1. A "Play Through Bug" is defined as a bug that does not significantly alter the competitive integrity of the game. This may mean that there are mitigation measures in place or the impact is deemed insufficient to warrant stopping or restarting the game. All "Play Through Bugs" are not eligible to be appealed for scoring via ticket.

12.1.2. A "Major Bug" is defined as a bug that has the potential to significantly impact a player's ability to compete in the game, substantially alter game statistics or game elements, and for which no reasonable mitigation measures are available. Determining the extent of the impact is at the sole discretion of the league administration. All "Major Bugs" are eligible to be appealed for evaluation via ticket.

12.1.3. An "Unknown Bug" is defined as a bug that is not included in the Esports Bug List. Any "Unknown Bug" that significantly affects a player's ability to compete in the game, materially alters game statistics or game elements, and for which no reasonable mitigation measures are available, is eligible to be appealed for evaluation via ticket.

12.1.4. A "Game Breaking Bug" is defined as a bug whose occurrence undermines the competitive integrity of a round as a whole and results in the outcome of the round being undeterminable. All bugs that fall into this category are eligible to be appealed for evaluation via ticket and will be evaluated by the league administration using the Esports Bug List.

12.1.5. An "exploit" (synonymously referred to as "bug-using") is defined as the deliberate exploitation of a bug that has the potential to significantly alter the competitive integrity of the game and provide an unintended competitive advantage. As a standard, the use of exploits is not permitted regardless of their influence and will be punished with a penalty if discovered, as defined in the penalty catalog.

12.2. General agent utility regulation

12.2.1. All uses of Agent Utility that enable an unfair competitive advantage by exploiting map structures and/or geometry to make the Agent Utility indestructible or invisible are considered prohibited exploits. Agent utilities may not be used in areas outside of map boundaries while providing potentially useful information or advantages. Areas within the map boundaries are defined as areas where (1) utility is destructible as intended, (2) utility can be seen by both teams as intended, and (3) no map structure and/or geometry is exploited to provide an unfair competitive advantage.

12.2.2. A player may not alter the intended purpose and scope of utility use by abusing map structures and/or geometry, unintended interactions with other utilities, or unintended interactions with weapons or other types of unintended interactions to gain an unfair competitive advantage. Any other use of agent utility that is determined by the League Administration to be an unfair competitive advantage is also considered a prohibited exploit.

12.2.3. SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS:

KAY/O's ZERO/POINT ability is intended to be used outside of map boundaries and is a special exception to these rules. This ability may be placed outside of map boundaries and in other locations that cause it to be indestructible and/or invisible to enemy players. However, the knife model of KAY/O's ZERO/POINT ability may not abuse or exploit map structures and/or geometry to get to undesirable locations. For example, the knife model of KAY/O's ZERO/POINT ability may not travel through or within map structures and/or geometry that are intended to be solid. Teams should clarify specific trajectories or end locations for this ability with League Administration prior to use.

12.3. Agent model boosting

12.3.1. Players are prohibited from using another agent's model to get to a location outside the intended range of the jump.

12.4. Assessment of penalties

In evaluating an appropriate penalty, the league administration shall consider the penalty catalog, precedent (previous penalties for similar situations), classification of the bug, prior communication, impact, and intent. The following factors will be considered by the League Administration in applying appropriate penalties:

12.4.1. Bug classification

Is the bug listed in the Esports bug list and how is it classified?
If the bug is not listed in the Esports Bug List: Is it similar enough to another bug that a reasonable person would assume the classification would be the same?
If the bug is neither listed in the Esports Bug List nor similar to another known bug, the league administration should use the other criteria to take appropriate action.

12.4.2. Effects

What effect did the bug have on the round and/or the outcome of the map? For example: damage caused, information gained (sight, sound, etc.), preventing actions of the opposing team (bomb defusing/placement).
What impact could this bug have on the perception of sport? Could it bring the sport into disrepute?

12.4.3. Intention

How difficult is it to use the bug accidentally? Does it require a special sequence of actions that do not occur in the normal course of the game?
Has the player or team already received penalties for the same bug in the past?
Has the player or team discussed the use of voice communication?
Did the player or team notify the league administration immediately after the bug occurred?

12.5. Types of penalties

The following list of penalties is non-restrictive. The League Administration may, at its discretion, impose other types of penalties on a case-by-case basis.

12.5.1. Warning

The league administration may issue warnings for minor infractions for first offenses to prevent widespread use of minor bugs. Warnings may be issued for unintentional bugs that have not provided a competitive advantage or are deemed small enough to not significantly affect the competitive integrity of the game.

12.5.2. Round rollback

League administrators may perform a round rollback if a bug had a significant impact on the outcome of the round, but the intent of the player who caused the bug cannot be determined, or for minor offenses in the event of a repeat offense. Round withdrawals may be used for unintentional bugs that provide a competitive advantage. The league administration should evaluate the intent of the player who caused the bug on a case-by-case basis. If a player contacts the league administration immediately after the unintentional bug, the league administration will consider a round withdrawal.

12.5.3. Loss of round (Round Loss)

The league administration may impose a round loss if an exploit had a significant impact on the outcome of the round and the league administration has determined that the player or team intended to carry out the exploit. Round forfeits may also be imposed if a Round Rollback Threshold has been exceeded, as determined by the League Administration. Round losses may be applied in the following ways:

Roll back to the round where the exploit was used and recognize the round win by elimination in the settings for the team that did not perform the exploit.
If the "roll back" is not possible, the round loss should be applied at the beginning of the next round.
Round losses may be imposed for intentional exploits that provide a competitive advantage. The intention is assessed by the league administration.

12.5.4 Defeat by forfeit (forfeit loss)

The league administration can impose a forfeit loss for a card in the game in the following scenarios:

An exploit had a significant impact on the outcome of a map or provided a significant unintended competitive advantage, but the map has already been completed and a round reset and/or restart is not possible.
Second offenses for minor exploits where a lap reset and/or restart is not possible.
Second offenses for serious exploits while the card is still being played and a turn loss has already been imposed.
Serious cases warranting an immediately enforced penalty as determined by the League Administration in its sole discretion.

12.5.5. Team rules for checking exploits

Players and coaches can request a review of the use of bugs/exploits. If a player or coach believes that a bug or exploit has occurred, they must immediately inform the league administration and request a review. The request for review must be made during the round in which the alleged bug or exploit was used, or at the latest during the purchase phase of the following round. The following rules apply to players and coaches when requesting a review of bugs or exploits:

If a bug or exploit is confirmed, both teams will be notified and the League Administration will take all reasonable steps to resolve the bug or exploit.
If the claim for a bug or exploit is verified and it is determined that the alleged bug or exploit is not a bug or exploit, the team that requested the verification will lose a timeout. If no more time-outs are available, the team will be given a round loss by elimination in the next round.

13. Changelog

13.1. Current status: 02.08.2025

13.2. Changelog:

02.04.2025: Rosterlock deadline updated with proper time (23:59 Uhr)
02.04.2025: Added rule 3.4.5.

04.04.2025: Updated wording on tiebreaker rules under 4.3.1
04.04.2025: Removed 4.3.2 as it wasn't needed anymore
04.04.2025: Updated tiebreaker ruling to reflect industry standards

06.04.2025: Updated ruling for postponing matchdays in Division 2
06.04.2025: Updated Rosterlock deadline for Division 2

15.04.2025: Updated the map pool with the change to patch 10.08 (rule 5.5.2)

28.04.2025: Updated the current Head of League Operations in Rule 1.2.2.

12.06.2025: Split 3 Update
Updated operating admins (rule 1.2.2.)
Added 3rd sentence in rule 1.3.1.
Added rule 2.2.4.
Added rule 2.4.2.
Removed rule 2.4.3. (GameChangers VRC restriction)
Added rule 2.4.6.
Added rule 2.6.
Added rule 3.2.4.
Changed rule 3.3.1.
Added rule 3.3.2., 3.3.3. & 3.3.4.
Removed rule 3.4.5. (Qualifier for Div 2 beeing not part of the EEQ framework)
Updated rule 3.5.
Added rule 3.6.2.
Updated the Division 1 and 2 to the Pro and Amateur Series
Rephrased rule 4.2.
Updated the dates in rule 4.4.
Added rule 4.7.
Changed rule 5.1. for Pro Series
Added rule 5.1.1. Point 2 Sentence 2.
Added rules 5.3.4., 5.3.5. and 5.3.6.
Updated map pool in rule 5.5.2.
Changed times in rule 5.7.1.
Updated rule 5.8.1.
Updated times in rule 6.2.1.
Added rule 6.2.4.
Added rule 6.3.8.
Added rule 7.1.3.
Removed rule 8.2.3., 8.2.4. & 8.2.5. (Penalty Point System)
Added rule 11.1.4.
Added rule 11.1.6.

14.06.2025: Feedback Adjustments
Updated rules 5.3.1. & 5.3.2.
Moved rule 6.3.8. to the beginning of the paragraph (now 6.3.1.)
Added rule 8.2.4.

16.06.2025:
Updated 2.2.3.

17.06.2025:
Updated 5.5.2. Map pool changes.

21.06.2025:
Added 3.6.
Added 3.7.
Added 4.6.
Added 5.2.3.

30.06.2025:
Updated 5.3.

05.07.2025:
Added 5.5.4.
Added 11.2.3.

06.07.2025:
Added 2.4.7.
Added 3.4.5.

07.07.2025:
Clarified 6.2.1. Point 2

18.07.2025:
Added 4.2.3.
Moved 4.6. (Finals) to 4.2.4.

28.07.2025:
Added an additional point in rule 3.4.4.

02.08.2025:
Removed 5.7. (Slow loading client)
Updated 7.3.3.
Updated 3.8.1.

06.08.2025:
Updated 5.5.2. map pool for patch 11.04.