Riot Games has begun informing esports organisations of its selections for the 2027 VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) partnership cycle and authorising them to publicly announce their results, with teams announcing whether they will retain their places in the international circuit or miss out on the next programme.

While Riot Games has not yet released a complete official list, organisations have started sharing their decisions on social media. Reports from Sheep Esports have also identified teams expected to be selected and those reportedly rejected across the four VCT regions: Americas, EMEA, Pacific and China.

The announcements have raised questions about the future of several established VALORANT organisations. While some teams have confirmed they will continue competing through the open circuit, others are yet to clarify their plans, and Global Esports has announced that it will shut down its competitive esports operations.

The Esports Radar will continue updating this Live Tracker as more organisations confirm their positions and further details emerge.

Update 19 October 2026: First partners emerge

Confirmed VCT 2027 partner teams

The list below includes organisations that have officially confirmed their selection for the 2027–2028 VCT partnership cycle, which are indicated accordingly, as well as those reported through leaks by Sheep Esports.

VCT Americas

 

VCT EMEA

 

VCT Pacific

 

VCT China

 

This list reflects the reported selections supplied to The Esports Radar. It is not a complete official roster released by Riot Games, and the regional lists above may be incomplete.

Reported rejected VCT 2027 partner teams

The following organisations have been identified in reports by Sheep Esports as missing out on the next partnership cycle. Some have independently confirmed the decision.

VCT Americas

 

VCT EMEA

 

VCT Pacific

 

VCT China

  • FunPlus Phoenix

 

The lists will be updated as more organisations and Riot Games provide official confirmation.

Organisation-by-organisation updates

Americas

Cloud9 will continue in VALORANT despite losing VCT partner status

North American esports organisation Cloud9 announced that Riot Games had informed it that it had not been selected as a partner for the 2027 VCT cycle.

Despite the decision, Cloud9 said it remains committed to the VCT and the wider VALORANT ecosystem.

The organisation also revealed that it has been holding open tryouts using 10-player lobbies to build a roster capable of competing through the open qualifiers. Cloud9 said trials were progressing well and that it was evaluating its options.

The organisation expects to provide further announcements after free agency begins on November 3.

ENVY leaves partnership programme but may field a team

North American organisation ENVY confirmed that it will not be a VCT partner team in 2027. However, CEO Mike Rufail clarified that the decision does not necessarily mean the organisation will leave competitive VALORANT. The CEO said the organisation would provide further updates on its future in the title.

M80 confirms rejection from VCT Americas

M80 Founder and CEO Marco Mereu confirmed that the organisation had learned it would not be offered a place in the VCT Americas partnership programme. Mereu thanked the players, fans and people who had worked with the organisation during its six years in competitive VALORANT, but the announcement did not clarify whether M80 intends to field a team through the open circuit in 2027.

FlyQuest misses out on VCT partnership

North American organisation FlyQuest announced its rejection through a video posted on social media. The organisation has not confirmed whether it intends to continue competing in VALORANT outside the partnership programme, but said more news to come soon”.

LYON rejected for the second consecutive cycle

Mexican organisation LYON is among the teams excluded from the next VCT Americas partnership programme. Emmanuel Neyra, the organisation’s head of VALORANT, expressed disappointment at the decision, stating that the decision would have broader consequences for the North sub-region of Latin America, which he believes has been disadvantaged by the lack of direct representation in the partnership programme across two consecutive cycles. He warned that the gap between Latin America North and Latin America South could continue to widen without comparable infrastructure and investment, making it harder for local players to develop and compete internationally.

LOUD confirms selection

Brazilian organisation and only two-times VALORANT Champions winner LOUD announced that it had been selected for the next VCT partnership cycle.

KRÜ Esports selected again

Argentine organisation KRÜ Esports confirmed that it had once again been selected as a VCT partner team. The organisation’s announcement emphasised its long-standing presence in VALORANT, stating that it had been part of the ecosystem since its early days and that its story was not over.

Sentinels confirms VCT partner status

North American organisation Sentinels announced that it had officially been selected as a VCT partner team for the next cycle. The announcement confirms its continued place in the Americas partnership programme.

Shopify Rebellion confirms rejection

Shopify Rebellion confirmed that it was not selected for the VCT Americas partnership programme. The organisation’s Founder, Jeremy Steeves, shared the news on social media, expressing disappointment at being passed over for the upcoming cycle while noting that further details on the organisation’s plans would be shared later.

EMEA

Team Heretics confirms VCT EMEA 2027 place

Spanish organisation Team Heretics confirmed its selection for the 2027 VCT EMEA partnership programme through a short social media announcement.

BBL Esports also in

BBL Esports has confirmed its continuation in the VCT Partnership Program through an official announcement on X.

GIANTX confirms rejection

GIANTX confirmed that it was not selected as a partnered organisation for the 2027 VCT circuit. Reflecting on four years in VALORANT, the organisation stated it will evaluate its options over the coming days before announcing its future plans within the competitive ecosystem.

No Barça in VCT

Barça eSports’ Head of Esports and Gaming, Jordi Guarte, confirmed in a post on X that the team was not selected for the VCT EMEA 2027 partnership program. Despite missing out on partner status, he reassured that Barça eSports remains fully committed to the VALORANT ecosystem and will continue its competitive project heading into 2027.

Fresh off Champions final, Team Vitality retains VCT EMEA status

French organisation Team Vitality confirmed its selection for the new VCT EMEA partnership cycle. In an announcement video, Co-Founders Nicolas Maurer and Fabien “Neo“ Devide reflected on the organisation’s trajectory in VALORANT following its recent top-two finish at Champions, noting that the organisation’s broader experience across other esports disciplines contributed to securing the spot as they set their sights on winning trophies in the upcoming cycle.

Team Liquid locks in its VCT future

Team Liquid announced on social media that it has officially been selected as a partner team for the 2027-2028 VCT EMEA. The organisation celebrated the milestone by stating that “blood, sweat and tears went into the last six years, and there’s nothing we want more than to keep grinding for the game we love.”

Pacific

Global Esports to shut down competitive esports operations

Indian organisation Global Esports announced that it would not be part of the next VCT partnership cycle.

CEO Rushindra Sinha did not explicitly confirm whether the organisation had been rejected by Riot Games or whether it had made a separate decision regarding its participation. However, Global Esports announced that it would shut down its competitive esports operations and shift its focus towards GE Studios, an AI-powered venture.

Nongshim RedForce confirms VCT partnership rejection but plans to continue

South Korean esports organisation Nongshim RedForce has confirmed that it was not selected for the 2027 VCT partnership programme, but intends to continue competing in VALORANT. In a statement, NS Esports CEO Evans Oh said the organisation would refine its roster and competitive objectives while strengthening its engagement with the global fanbase it developed during the 2026 season.

Despite the rejection, Oh said the organisation respected Riot Games’ decision and considered the selection process thorough and fair. He also congratulated the Korean teams selected for the next partnership cycle. However, Oh acknowledged that competing outside the partnership programme would present significant challenges, particularly because partner teams receive additional financial support and advantages in player recruitment.

Nongshim RedForce then intends to use the next two years to strengthen its operations and work towards earning a place in the partnership programme in the future.

KIWOOM DRX confirms partnership rejection

South Korean esports organisation KIWOOM DRX has confirmed that it was not selected for the partnership programme. In a statement, the organisation reflected on its history in VALORANT and reaffirmed its commitment to the competitive scene. “Whatever comes next, see you all in VCT 2027,” KIWOOM DRX posted.

Team RRQ confirms continuation in VCT Pacific

Indonesian organisation Team RRQ announced that it will remain in the VCT Pacific partnership programme for 2027. In a social media post expressing gratitude to its fanbase, the organisation confirmed it will retain its slot in the region’s franchised tier.

China

EDward Gaming confirms VCT CN partner status

EDward Gaming (EDG) announced on social media that it has officially secured its place as a VCT CN partner team for the upcoming cycle. The organisation stated that “a new chapter begins” and reaffirmed its commitment to the circuit heading into the next partnership phase.

Weibo Gaming joins the party

Weibo Gaming also announced on social media that it has officially been selected as a VCT CN partner team for the 2027 cycle. The organisation stated that “a new battlefield awaits” as it prepares to compete in the next phase of the circuit.

The Esports Radar will continue updating this Live Tracker as further announcements emerge, including confirmation of the complete regional partner lineups and whether organisations that missed out on partnership slots intend to compete through the open circuit.

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