Riot Games has officially revealed the structure of the Valorant Champions Tour for 2027. The VCT is moving away from its current league-based format and shifting to a tournament-driven model. Starting in 2027, any team can qualify for Masters and Champions through open qualifiers. The announcement was made on April 8, 2026.
The overhaul eliminates the tiered barrier between partnered and non-partnered teams. All teams will compete in a single tier of competition. VCT 2027 will feature over 20 tournaments per year across more than 16 cities worldwide, with total prize pools exceeding $6 million USD annually.
This marks the end of the first VCT partnership cycle, which began in 2023. Riot Games had originally planned that cycle to run through 2027, but decided to end it in 2026 to prepare for the restructured system.
How Does the VCT 2027 Format Work?
The new VCT runs on a straightforward path: open qualifiers feed into regional tournaments, which then qualify teams for Masters and Champions.
Open qualifiers are the entry point. Every team starts here, regardless of partnership status. Multiple qualification windows run throughout the year, giving teams several chances to advance.
From open qualifiers, teams progress into regional events. These include Kickoff and the newly introduced VCT Cups. Cups are LAN tournaments that replace the traditional round-robin league play seen in the current system. Each Cup concludes with a live final in a new city and directly qualifies top teams for Masters and Champions.
The season structure follows a familiar flow: Kickoff leads into Masters 1, then VCT Cups feed into Masters 2, and finally Champions closes the year. Open qualifiers for each stage run concurrently with Cups and Masters, creating overlapping opportunities for teams that miss one window to try again in the next.
What Are VCT Cups?
VCT Cups are the biggest structural change in the 2027 format. They replace the regional league stages that have been a core part of VCT since the partnership model launched.
Cups are bracket-style LAN events, not round-robin leagues. They feature open qualification pathways, meaning non-partnered teams can enter. Each Cup determines the top teams in its region and feeds directly into global events.
The finals of each VCT Cup will be held live in different cities. Riot Games has stated that this is part of a broader plan to bring live Valorant esports to more locations.
For fans who followed the VCT EMEA Stage 2 finals moving to Barcelona this year, the 2027 model expands on that idea significantly.
Open Qualification to Masters and Champions
For the first time in VCT history, any aspiring team can qualify for Masters and Champions through open qualifiers. This was not possible under the current system, where only partnered teams and a limited number of Challengers teams could reach global events.
In the new model, winning teams from open qualifiers can advance through regional tournaments and earn a direct path to the biggest stages. This applies to both partnered and non-partnered teams competing in the same brackets.
Non-partnered teams will also receive expanded financial support. This includes cash incentives tied to qualification at each stage, access to the $6M+ annual prize pool, fully funded travel for global events, and faster payout cycles throughout the season.
According to Riot, top-performing non-partner teams can outperform lower-ranked partner teams in earnings under this system.
What Happens to Partner Teams in VCT 2027?
Partnerships are not going away. Riot Games is introducing a new two-year partnership cycle starting in 2027. This replaces the current longer-term model.
Partner teams receive several benefits: a guaranteed base payment each year, performance bonuses, in-game Team Capsule revenue, and direct seeding into later rounds of qualifiers. The direct seeding gives partner teams a built-in advantage by skipping early qualification stages.
Applications for the new partnership cycle will be evaluated on five criteria: commitment to growing the Valorant community, community resonance across fandom and content, business sustainability, operational excellence, and competitive success.
The VCT 2026 Team Capsules already demonstrated the financial value of in-game items for teams. In 2025, Riot Games shared over $86 million from digital goods with VCT teams.
VCT 2027 Expands to 20+ Tournaments Across 16+ Cities
Riot Games is planning a significant geographic expansion. VCT 2027 will host more than 20 tournaments each year and visit over 16 different cities around the world.
These events include regional Cups, international competitions, and global events. Each territory will host multiple LAN events throughout the season. The format includes international league hubs and roadshow finals across different regions.
Specific locations and dates have not been announced yet. Riot said more details on regional formats, qualification paths, and event locations will come before Champions 2026.
This expansion builds on what VCT 2026 already started. The current season brought global events to Santiago, London, and Shanghai, while VCT China adopted a roadshow format spanning five cities.
What Leo Faria Said About VCT 2027
Leo Faria, the Global Head of Valorant Esports at Riot Games, framed the changes as a complete reimagining of how teams compete.
He stated that VCT 2027 shifts to a tournament-driven system with open access to the biggest events. The goal is to create a system where every match carries meaningful stakes and every team has a shot at the global stage.
Faria had been signaling these changes throughout 2025 and into 2026. He previously indicated that Riot wanted to reduce the gap between Tier 1 and Tier 2 and reignite the competitive dream for aspiring teams.
VCT 2027 Timeline: What Comes Next
The full VCT 2027 details are expected before Champions 2026, which takes place in Shanghai later this year. Riot will share specifics on regional formats, qualification brackets, event locations, and the new partnership application process.
The 2026 season is already serving as a transition year. Changes like the Path to Champions system, which allows Challengers teams to qualify for Champions 2026, were introduced as a bridge toward the open format coming in 2027.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does VCT 2027 start? Riot Games has not announced an exact start date. The new format begins in early 2027, with full details expected before Champions 2026.
Can any team qualify for Valorant Champions in 2027? Yes. For the first time, any team can reach Masters and Champions through open qualifiers under the new VCT 2027 system.
What are VCT Cups? VCT Cups are LAN-based regional tournaments that replace traditional league play. They feature open qualification and conclude with live finals in new cities.
How much prize money is in VCT 2027? Riot Games confirmed total prize pools exceeding $6 million USD per year, plus fully funded travel for global events.
Are VCT partnerships ending? No. Riot is introducing a new two-year partnership cycle in 2027 with updated selection criteria. Partner teams retain benefits like base payments, Team Capsule revenue, and direct seeding.
