VALORANT to replace VCT leagues with open circuit in 2027 season

Bryan Francis Published April 8, 2026

Following a teaser on their social media accounts, VALORANT has announced the new format for VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) starting from the 2027 season.

A major change going into the upcoming season is that the four leagues will be substituted with multiple regional tournaments. Let’s take a deep dive into all the changes in the upcoming VCT 2027 season and its impact on VALORANT esports.

All about the new VCT 2027 season’s format

Image credit: Riot Games

Back in 2023, Riot Games announced the launch of the VCT, a closed circuit with multiple regional leagues. Each league consists of a mix of partnership teams and squads qualifying for the league through VCT Ascension.

In the upcoming 2027 season, that’s all about to change. The first major difference is that VALORANT esports will be transitioning to a tournament model. This means that the VCT 2026 will be the final season with regional VCT leagues.

There will be more open qualifier competitions that will allow teams to qualify for the regional tournaments, which are the VCT Cups.

In these qualifiers, both Tier 2 and Tier 1 VALORANT organizations can take part. Tournaments will consist of incredible prize pools, totaling around $6M USD per year.

The best VALORANT teams that qualify for the major tournaments will receive fully funded travel for global competitions.

It does seem like Nongshim RedForce’s journey from VALORANT Premier to becoming champions of VALORANT Masters Santiago has given Riot Games the trust that any tier 2 team could make it to an international tournament.

Image credit: Riot Games

VCT Cups will be the all-important regional tournament that will provide direct qualifications for VALORANT Masters and Champions in 2027.

The finals phase of each VCT Cup will be hosted in a new city, allowing fans to experience top-quality VALORANT near them.

According to the press release by VALORANT, the goal for VCT is to host over 20 tournaments each year, while visiting more than 16 different cities worldwide.

“VCT 2027 is about reimagining how teams compete and how fans experience VALORANT esports,” said Leo Faria, the global head of VALORANT esports. “By shifting to a tournament-driven system with open access to our biggest events, we’re creating a more dynamic, high-stakes ecosystem where every match matters and every team has a shot at the global stage.”

What are the biggest changes to VALORANT esports in 2027?

Image credit: Riot Games

One of the major changes in the VCT 2027 concerns partnered teams. There will be a new partnership system that will begin in 2027, featuring a two-year cycle and updated selection criteria for orgs. The esports organizations that are selected will receive several benefits.

• Partner base payment: A guaranteed base payment each year.
• Performance bonus: Teams that excel at partnership goals are eligible for additional rewards.
• Team capsules: In-game VALORANT skins that let fans support their favorite teams
• Direct seeding: Additional stability and exposure through direct placement into later rounds in regional qualifiers

Image credit: Riot Games

Non-partnered esports teams will see more opportunities and support across the VALORANT esports ecosystem, including:

• Cash incentives tied to qualification at each stage of competition.
• Access to prize pools across regional and global events (totaling over $6 million annually).
• Financial support for travel to global events.
• Faster and more consistent payout cycles to support team operations throughout the season.

More details on the regional tournaments, qualification paths, and VCT Cup event locations will be shared in the lead-up to VALORANT Champions Shanghai 2026.

Also read: Riot Games clears VALORANT player florescent, no penalties issued

Featured image credit: Riot Games