Riot has announced the details of its new partnership format that will begin next season, which features a tournament-centric model that also looks to address funding issues at the lower tiers of the esport.

"VCT 2027 is about reimagining how teams compete and how fans experience Valorant esports," Leo Faria, Global Head of Valorant Esports, said. "By shifting to a tournament-driven system with open access to our biggest events, we're creating a more dynamic, high-stakes ecosystem where every match matters and every team has a shot at the global stage."

With open qualifiers (you read that right) for next year's Kickoff events happening as early as this year, here's everything you need to know about the new VCT for the next partnership cycle.

Two-year partnership

A new two-year partnership cycle will begin next season, with applications for prospective teams now open. Established teams not already a part of the partnership program are asked to reach out to their regional Riot Esports teams, and will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Commitment to grow the Valorant community
• Community resonance across fandom and content
• Business sustainability and responsible operations
• Competitive success and performance development

Partnered teams will be rewarded with the following:

• Partner base payment: A guaranteed base payment each year
• Performance bonus: Additional rewards that excelling partnered teams can earn
• Team capsule: In-game skins
• Direct seeding: Added stability and increased exposure through direct placement into later rounds of qualifiers

Open qualifiers to global events

Starting next year, the road to all Masters and Champions events will begin with open qualifiers available to any team worldwide. Doing away with the Ascension format, non-partnered teams will now have multiple opportunities throughout the season to step foot onto the biggest stages in VCT. Qualifying will look different based on the region, and could include community tournaments, partner events, collegiate events, Premier, and more. Details on qualification paths will be shared later this year.

The top non-partnered teams can also stack Championship points and earn payouts throughout the season, in a format that could even see them earn more than some partnered teams. This new system also looks to address the issue of funding at the lower levels, according to Riot.

"This approach unlocks the distribution of funds deeper into the ecosystem, in shorter cycles, enabling both partner and non-partner teams to support players and invest in the sport," Riot said in its release. "Teams will have the flexibility to make multiple runs at global events each season, and make adjustments as necessary in between.

The competition path for 2027. (Photo provided by Riot)

All competitions will have cash amounts that qualified teams earn, which scale depending on the size and stakes of the tournament. Riot shared that the number will approximately double from regional Cups to Masters, and double again from Masters to Champions. Tournaments will have prize pools of over $6 million per year, with travel fully-funded for global events. Funds for Cups will be released in a timely manner in order to allow for teams to sort out visas and travel arrangements as soon as possible. A portion of funds will also be dedicated to the Game Changers scene, with the exact mechanics of distribution set to be shared later this year.

"While we are still finalizing details, our goal is for every team, in every territory, to have a path to every global event," Riot said. "Regional communities will have dedicated pathways that send them to international and global competitions, with partner teams meeting them in later rounds. We expect that this change will bring stakes and the best teams back to their home regions, helping develop the scene and new players that is crucial for the longevity of the sport."

VCT Cups and more events in more cities

The path to global events. (Photo by Riot)

Open Qualifiers will feed into new tournaments called Cups, which will be held twice per territory each season. Cups replace regular season league play, conclude with a finals weekend event, and will directly qualify teams to Masters and Champions.

A split of VCT's respective territories into regions was also shared, with Americas divided between North America, LATAM, and Brazil, EMEA split between EU, MENA, and Türkiye, Pacific split between SEA, Japan, Korea, and South Asia, and China holding its own Open Qualifiers.

VCT will host over 20 tournaments per year, visiting more than 16 cities worldwide between Riot studios and bespoke venues. Kickoff will remain a bespoke tournament with a unique format to start the season, with open qualifiers beginning in the fourth quarter of the previous year after Champions.

The season structure for 2027. (Photo by Riot)

In 2027, all teams will compete in a unified system and a single tier of competition, removing barriers for rising talent and creating a direct path for more teams to get to the top of the esport. With an all-tournament format and an expanded schedule of events, VCT in 2027 looks to be higher stakes from the first match, have faster progression to global stages, host more regional events, and provide greater competitive opportunity.