VCT 2027 Partner Teams: Full List and Who Missed Out
| Tags: Valorant
| Author ESTNN Esports News
Riot has locked in the 32 organizations that will make up the VALORANT Champions Tour partner leagues for 2027 and 2028. Confirmations started reaching teams on October 18 and 19. The final lists hold a few real shocks: Cloud9, Movistar KOI, DRX, Nongshim RedForce and Global Esports are all out. G2 Esports, Weibo Gaming, Xi Lai Gaming, GAM Esports and Crazy Raccoon are in.
Contents
What changes in the 2027-2028 cycle
Each of the four international leagues drops from ten partnered teams to eight, for 32 partners in total. The deals run for two years. Partners get automatic invites to VCT Kickoff 2027 and a share of digital revenue, including team skins. Teams that missed out are not barred from the top level: the new structure keeps qualifier routes open to international events, which is why several rejected organizations have already said they will stay in VALORANT.
VCT 2027 partner teams by region
VCT Americas
- 100 Thieves
- G2 Esports
- KRÜ Esports
- LEVIATÁN
- LOUD
- MIBR
- NRG
- Sentinels
VCT EMEA
- BBL Esports
- Fnatic
- FUT Esports
- Gentle Mates
- Karmine Corp
- Team Heretics
- Team Liquid
- Team Vitality
VCT Pacific
- Crazy Raccoon
- FULL SENSE
- GAM Esports
- Gen.G
- Paper Rex
- Rex Regum Qeon (RRQ)
- T1
- ZETA DIVISION
VCT China
- All Gamers
- Bilibili Gaming
- EDward Gaming
- JD Gaming
- Trace Esports
- TYLOO
- Weibo Gaming
- Xi Lai Gaming
The teams that missed out
| Region | Applications rejected |
|---|---|
| Americas | Cloud9, ENVY, FlyQuest, FURIA, LYON, M80, Shopify Rebellion |
| EMEA | Barça eSports, Eternal Fire, GIANTX, Movistar KOI, NAVI |
| Pacific | BOOM Esports, DetonatioN FocusMe, Global Esports, KIWOOM DRX, NS RedForce, RIDDLE, S8UL Esports, Team Secret |
| China | Dragon Ranger Gaming, FunPlus Phoenix, NOVA Esports, Titans Esports Club, Wolves Esports |
The biggest surprises
Movistar KOI. KOI’s rejection is the headline in EMEA. The Spanish organization remains a big name in League of Legends, where it is playing at Worlds 2026 this week, but Riot did not hand it one of the eight EMEA slots.
Nongshim RedForce and DRX. Two Korean teams with a real foothold in the Pacific league are out. That leaves T1 and Gen.G as Korea’s only partners in a league that now has eight seats instead of ten.
Cloud9 and the North American cut. Cloud9, FlyQuest and Shopify Rebellion all lost out in the Americas, where G2 Esports takes one of the new seats. Cloud9 has said it intends to stay in VALORANT through the open path.
Global Esports. The Indian organization was a VCT Pacific partner and is now out. Its players UdoTan and xavi8k have already announced they are free agents.
An offseason with no brakes
The partner decisions land straight after LOUD beat Team Vitality 3-1 to win a record second VALORANT Champions title on October 19. Eight fewer partner seats across the four leagues, plus Evil Geniuses closing on November 2, means more established players chasing fewer spots. Expect the free agent market to move fast once the 2026 season officially wraps up.
Featured image: LOUD’s Saadhak at VALORANT Champions 2023 (Credit: Riot Games).
ESTNN Esports News Feed