Riot Games has announced a significant transformation for the Valorant Champions Tour, set to begin in 2027. A substantial format overhaul is planned, shifting the top-tier esports competition away from its current structure towards a tournament-centric model with higher stakes than ever before.
Riot’s objective is to host more regional tournaments, bringing the action to a wider array of locations globally, while simultaneously enhancing and streamlining the qualification pathways for Masters and Champions-level events.
Open qualification routes will be introduced to ensure broader access for a greater number of teams to global competitions. With this increased emphasis on tournaments, Riot commits to offering over $6 million annually in prize money. Additionally, VCT teams will receive funding from their respective digital in-game products.
Essentially, the existing leagues will be superseded by VCT Cups. These cups will identify the top teams in each region, enabling them to qualify for the Masters and Champions events. More than 20 tournaments are slated for the calendar year, with plans to visit over 16 cities.
Riot is also revising its partnership system, now providing teams with a two-year partnership cycle. This guarantees them payments, performance bonuses, in-game team capsules, and direct selections.
As explained by Leo Faria, Global Head of Valorant Esports at Riot, “VCT 2027 is about reimagining how teams compete and how fans experience Valorant esports. By moving to a tournament-driven system with open access to our biggest events, we’re creating a more dynamic and high-stakes ecosystem where every match matters and every team has their shot on the global stage.”