- Riot Games is switching from the Valorant league format to the Regional Cups and Open Qualifiers system from VCT 2027.
- 12-Team Triple Elimination Kickoffs returns in VCT 2027.
- Riot Games has yet to share details on the schedule and locations of the VCT 2027 tournaments.
The Valorant Champions Tour, we know, is set to fade into the abyss as Riot Games is making the biggest structural changes to the esports tournament series. No more league matches that stretch across the entire calendar; instead, the new VCT 2027 format promises a high-stakes tournament where every match counts. So, if you are ready to watch a new era of Valorant Champions Tour, here is everything we know so far about VCT 2027, including its new format, changes, schedule, locations, and more.
Valorant VCT 2027 Format Explained
Valorant Masters London 2026 is ending soon, and Riot Games has begun revealing exciting details about the rebirth of VCT in 2027. With the mission to provide more opportunities to open teams in mind, Riot Games is replacing the traditional league system with Open Qualifiers and Regional Cups that directly lead to Masters and the endgame, the Champions tournament.
Thus, the road to Champions will be more exciting and intense like never before, as 12-Team Triple Elimination Kickoffs are returning in VCT 2027. Therefore, VCT Americas, EMEA, and Pacific kick-off tournaments will include 12 teams (8 partner teams + 4 teams qualified through Open Qualifiers).
Meanwhile, partner teams are automatically eligible for kick-off tournaments. However, they need to accelerate their performance and qualify for the future cups, just like an open team. There are no guaranteed spots for them in future cups. The top three teams in the kick-off tournaments will secure a direct qualification to the Masters.
In case a partner team fails to climb to the top ranks in Regional Cups or Masters, they are relegated to Open Qualifiers. Now, they will have to fight their way up to the highest-level competitions. Riot Games is once again emphasizing promotion and relegation in its new tournament format.
All Eligible Regions for Valorant Regional Qualification Competitions
Open teams must participate in Regional Competitions to qualify for the Regional Cups and compete against partner teams. Interestingly, Southeast Asian regions like the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, etc., are confirmed to qualify through a new Pacific Wild Card pathway. So, here are all the eligible regions for VCT 2027:
| VCT Americas | VCT EMEA | VCT Pacific | VCT China |
|---|---|---|---|
| North America | Europe | South Korea | China |
| LATAM North | Turkey | Japan | – |
| LATAM South | Middle East and North Africa | Thailand | – |
| Brazil | – | Indonesia | – |
| – | – | Vietnam | – |
| – | – | Wild Card (Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, the rest of SEA) | – |
The only region that remains almost unaffected is China. VCT China retains the visitor team model involving partner, visitor, and open qualifier teams. Visitor teams and partner teams are confirmed to directly enter Kickoff and the first two Cups.
For the first time in history, Riot Games is providing financial support to non-partner teams. Non-partner teams can earn a hefty amount for qualifying. It is as follows: qualify for Kickoff or a Cup: $100,000 USD, qualify for Masters: $200,000 USD, qualify for Champions: $400,000 USD.
Valorant VCT 2027 Schedule
Riot Games has yet to share the complete schedule for VCT 2027, as they have just announced the new format of the upcoming tournament. Moreover, the current VCT 2026 ends on October 18, 2026, in Shanghai. So, we will have to wait until October 2026 to hear more about the VCT 2027 schedule.
Until then, we can estimate what the schedule may look like based on the previous tournaments’ schedules. We can expect the new kickoffs and open qualifiers to take place between January and February 2027. The first Masters tournament at the end of the first quarter of 2027. Followed by the first regional cup in May 2027.
We can expect the second Masters and Regional Cup to take place between June and September. And when the stage is all set, the final Valorant Champions tournament may kick off in late September or early October. We will update this section when Riot Games officially unveils the VCT 2027 schedule later this year.
VCT 2027 Locations for Masters and Champions
On the same note, Riot Games hasn’t revealed the various locations where the competitions will take place next year. But Riot Games has mentioned that they will be heading to new cities and visit over 16 cities throughout the VCT 2027 season. So, the potential hosts for VCT 2027 include Los Angeles, Berlin, Manila, Singapore, China, Tokyo, Sao Paulo, and more.
And that’s everything we know so far about the VCT 2027 and the official changes coming to the tournament. What do you think about the new changes? Let us know in the comments below.
Riot Games hasn’t yet confirmed the locations for Valorant Masters 2027. But Berlin and Toyo are potential hosts for VCT Masters next year.
VCT 2027 is expected to begin sometime in January 2027.
