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VCT 2027 partner teams: all 32 Valorant organizations, from Sentinels and Fnatic to Paper Rex and EDG
Riot Games named the 32 partner teams for the 2027 Valorant Champions Tour on Oct. 22, 2026, eight in each of the Americas, EMEA, the Pacific and China. The list includes Sentinels, LOUD and G2 Esports in the Americas, Fnatic, Team Liquid and Team Heretics in EMEA, Paper Rex, T1 and Gen.G in the Pacific and Edward Gaming and Bilibili Gaming in China. Cloud9, FURIA, NAVI and DRX, all partners when Riot's international leagues launched in 2023, aren't on it. More than 100 teams applied. Partnerships run in two-year renewable cycles with annual financial support, and they guarantee a place only in Kickoff, after which partners have to qualify for every Cup, Masters and Champions against open teams.
- PC
Riot has picked the 32 organizations that anchor Valorant esports for the next two years. Here’s every VCT 2027 partner team by territory, who missed out and what a partnership guarantees.
Who are the VCT 2027 partner teams?
Riot announced the partners on Oct. 22, 2026, eight in each territory.
| Americas | EMEA | Pacific | China |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 Thieves | BBL Esports | Crazy Raccoon | All Gamers |
| G2 Esports | Fnatic | Full Sense | Bilibili Gaming |
| KRÜ Esports | FUT Esports | GAM Esports | Edward Gaming |
| Leviatán | Gentle Mates | Gen.G Esports | JD Gaming |
| LOUD | Karmine Corp | Paper Rex | Trace Esports |
| MIBR | Team Heretics | Rex Regum Qeon | TYLOO |
| NRG | Team Liquid | T1 | Weibo Gaming |
| Sentinels | Team Vitality | ZETA DIVISION | Xi Lai Gaming |
All four teams that finished on top at Valorant Champions 2026 are partners: champion LOUD, runner-up Team Vitality, 100 Thieves and G2 Esports, as our Valorant Champions 2026 page shows.
Who isn’t a VCT partner in 2027
Riot’s international leagues in the Americas, EMEA and the Pacific launched in 2023 with 30 partner teams, named in September 2022. Eleven of them aren’t on the 2027 list:
| Territory | 2023 partners not on the 2027 list |
|---|---|
| Americas | Cloud9, Evil Geniuses, FURIA |
| EMEA | Giants, KOI, NAVI |
| Pacific | DetonatioN FocusMe, DRX, Global Esports, Talon Esports, Team Secret |
Five 2027 partners weren’t among those 2023 originals: G2 Esports, Gentle Mates, Crazy Raccoon, Full Sense and GAM Esports. Every team outside the program can still play its way into Kickoff, the Cups, Masters and Champions through the open qualifiers, which start in November 2026.
How Riot picked the partners
More than 100 teams from around the world submitted their interest, starting earlier in 2026 with proposals for what they’d bring to the VCT. Global and regional esports leads interviewed a smaller group of finalists. Riot judged them on five criteria:
- Commitment to growing the Valorant community
- Community resonance across fandom and content
- Business sustainability and responsible operations
- Operational excellence and established infrastructure
- Competitive success and performance development
Riot says results mattered, but it put particular weight on organizations that build fandom and community for years to come.
What VCT 2027 partner teams get
Partnerships run in two-year renewable cycles. Partners receive annual financial support, a share of revenue from in-game digital goods like Team and Season Capsules and the Championship bundle, and incentives tied to growing Valorant esports. Riot hasn’t published the amount of the annual support.
The guaranteed spot is narrow: partners qualify directly for Kickoff only. After that, they compete alongside and against teams from the open qualifiers, and results are the only way into the Cups, Masters and Champions. Riot calls it the first time partners face that level of open competition.
VCT 2027 schedule for the partner teams
| Event | Dates | Cities |
|---|---|---|
| Kickoff | Jan. 14 to Feb. 7 | São Paulo, Berlin, Bangkok, Hangzhou |
| Masters | Feb. 20 to March 3 | Seoul |
| Cups | April 29 to May 23 | Mexico City, Warsaw, Manila, Wuhan |
| Masters | June 5 to 20 | València |
| Cups | Aug. 5 to 29 | Rio de Janeiro, Istanbul, Tokyo, Shanghai |
| Champions | Sept. 16 to Oct. 10 | Austin |
Each Kickoff in the Americas, EMEA and the Pacific has 12 teams, the eight partners plus four from open qualifiers. Every city and date is on our VCT 2027 schedule and locations page.
This page is updated as soon as Riot changes the partner list or announces the 2027 Kickoff groups.
FAQ
Who are the VCT 2027 partner teams?
32 organizations, eight per territory, announced by Riot on Oct. 22, 2026. They include Sentinels, LOUD, Fnatic, Team Liquid, Paper Rex, T1, Edward Gaming and Bilibili Gaming, and every team is listed by region on this page.
Which teams are VCT Americas partners in 2027?
100 Thieves, G2 Esports, KRÜ Esports, Leviatán, LOUD, MIBR, NRG and Sentinels.
Which teams are VCT EMEA partners in 2027?
BBL Esports, Fnatic, FUT Esports, Gentle Mates, Karmine Corp, Team Heretics, Team Liquid and Team Vitality.
Which teams are VCT Pacific partners in 2027?
Crazy Raccoon, Full Sense, GAM Esports, Gen.G Esports, Paper Rex, Rex Regum Qeon, T1 and ZETA DIVISION.
Which teams are VCT China partners in 2027?
All Gamers, Bilibili Gaming, Edward Gaming, JD Gaming, Trace Esports, TYLOO, Weibo Gaming and Xi Lai Gaming.
Is Cloud9 a VCT partner team in 2027?
Cloud9 isn’t on Riot’s list of 32 partners for 2027, and neither is FURIA, though both were Americas partners when the league launched in 2023. Teams outside the program can still reach every event through the open qualifiers.
Are NAVI and DRX in VCT 2027?
NAVI and DRX aren’t among the 2027 partner teams, after both started as partners in 2023, NAVI in EMEA and DRX in the Pacific. They can still enter VCT 2027 through the open qualifiers.
How long do VCT partnerships last?
Two years, in renewable cycles, starting with the 2027 season. Riot hasn’t published the amount of the annual financial support.
What do VCT 2027 partner teams get?
Annual financial support from Riot, revenue from in-game items like Team and Season Capsules and the Championship bundle, incentives tied to growing Valorant esports and direct qualification to Kickoff.
Can teams that aren't partners play in VCT 2027?
Yes. Every Cup, Masters and Champions spot is earned through results, and four teams from open qualifiers join the eight partners at each Kickoff in the Americas, EMEA and the Pacific.
Pop quiz
1 questions from this story.
How many partner teams does each VCT territory have in 2027?
Each of the four territories has eight partners, 32 in total. Kickoff adds four teams from open qualifiers for 12 per event in the Americas, EMEA and the Pacific.
Your call
Who wins VCT Champions 2027 in Austin?
