The VCT China partnership list for 2027 and 2028 has reportedly been revealed, with 8 organizations set to hold partner slots. EDward Gaming, JD Gaming, Bilibili Gaming, TYLOO, All Gamers, Trace Esports, Xi Lai Gaming and Weibo Gaming are named. FunPlus Phoenix, Nova Esports, Titan Esports Club and Wolves Esports are reported to miss out. Riot Games has not confirmed the teams.
Below, we break down the full list and what the reported changes mean for teams outside the group.
VCT China Partnership 2027: Reported Teams
According to Sheep Esports, 8 organizations are expected to be partners in VALORANT Champions Tour China for the 2027 and 2028 seasons. The report comes from sources. Riot has not announced the teams or shared the full details of the China format.
| Team | Reported status |
|---|---|
| EDward Gaming | Stays as partner |
| JD Gaming | Stays as partner |
| Bilibili Gaming | Stays as partner |
| TYLOO | Stays as partner |
| All Gamers | Stays as partner |
| Trace Esports | Stays as partner |
| Xi Lai Gaming | Moves up from guest slot |
| Weibo Gaming | Joins as new partner |
Six of the 8 teams already hold partner slots. Xi Lai Gaming and Weibo Gaming are the two additions.
EDward Gaming won the 2024 VALORANT World Championship. It remains China’s only international title since the current circuit began. TYLOO and JD Gaming qualified for the recent Champions event in Shanghai, though both had mixed results.
Xi Lai Gaming and Weibo Gaming Join the Group
Xi Lai Gaming (XLG) held a guest slot in VCT China. The team won Ascension in 2024 and has played at every international LAN since Masters Toronto 2025. It is now expected to become a full partner for 2 seasons.
Weibo Gaming is the other new name. The organization played VALORANT from the game’s launch in 2020 until partner slots arrived in 2023. It did not secure a slot then and later left the scene.
Weibo returned in early 2026 with mixed results. Its current project includes Milan “Milan” de Meij as head coach. He joined in July after more than a year and a half with Fnatic.
Teams Reported to Lose VCT China Partner Status
Four current partners are reported to miss the next cycle. They are FunPlus Phoenix, Nova Esports, Titan Esports Club and Wolves Esports. Dragon Ranger Gaming, which also held a guest slot, was not selected either.
Wolves is probably the most prominent name among the four. The team was a surprise side at Masters Toronto 2025.
Losing partner status does not mean these teams must leave VALORANT. Under the more open circuit, they can still try to qualify for Cups and Masters events by building a successful project.
League of Legends Rumor Around VCT China Partners
Rumors on the Weibo app suggest that a League of Legends presence was a requirement or a key factor for Riot.
Some teams fit the pattern. FunPlus Phoenix left the LoL scene in late 2025. Nova Esports has been absent since 2021. Titan Esports Club and Wolves have never entered the MOBA scene.
On the other side, Xi Lai recently joined China’s Tier 2 LoL scene. Weibo has played in the LPL since 2021. However, Trace Esports and TYLOO are not active in LoL, which weakens the theory.
VCT 2027 Format and Partner Benefits
Riot’s first partnership cycle began in 2023 and ends after the 2026 season. Each of the 4 regions (EMEA, Americas, Pacific and China) will now have 8 partner teams instead of 10. That makes 32 partners in total.
Partners will keep receiving a base payment and revenue from in-game team capsules. Riot shared nearly $86 million with its 40 partnered organizations in 2025 alone.
Partners also get a competitive edge in the open circuit. The Americas, Pacific, and EMEA Kickoff events will feature 12 teams: 8 partners and 4 from Open Qualifiers. The same report says the VCT China Kickoff will have 8 partners, 2 visitors and 2 Open Qualifier teams.
Teams qualifying for a Kickoff or Cup through the open circuit receive $100,000 each. The seasonal prize pool stays above $6 million.
What Happens to Teams Without Partner Status
The route back for non-partner teams depends on rules Riot has not spelled out. China’s format may differ from the other 3 regions. Qualification details for China remain open.
For now, the lineup is a report and not a Riot announcement. Fans should wait for official confirmation before treating the list as final.
