Riot Games has officially removed TALON Esports from the VALORANT Champions Tour Pacific League after the team failed to meet the league’s basic financial and management standards.

According to Riot, TALON repeatedly delayed paying its players and could not show that it had enough financial stability to continue competing in the VCT. Once these problems came to light, Riot spent more than a month working with the organization and even gave TALON extra time to fix the issue. Despite this, TALON was unable to make the improvements needed to stay in the league.

The players affected by the decision have been informed and are now free to look for new opportunities with other teams in the VALORANT esports scene.

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Jake Sin, Head of APAC VALORANT Esports, spoke about the situation in a public statement. He said the decision was very difficult and came only after weeks of trying to help TALON resolve its issues. Sin said he personally spoke with the players to explain their options and encouraged them to continue competing in the ecosystem. He thanked TALON for what they contributed to the league and wished the organisation well moving forward.

Riot Games is now searching for a new team to join VCT Pacific before the 2026 season. The company has already invited several teams in the APAC region to apply. Riot says its goal is to find a team that connects well with the Thai community so the region continues to be represented in the league. More updates will be shared once the selection process is complete.

The removal of TALON Esports is another major change in Riot’s global esports structure. Earlier this year, Riot Games also ended Movistar KOI’s partnership in the VCT EMEA after the team failed to meet its contractual obligations, a decision Co-Owner Ibai Llanos said was influenced by the team’s struggles both competitively and commercially.

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