VCT 2027 open qualifiers: the short answer
VCT 2027 open qualifiers are the new first step for any Valorant team that wants a place at the biggest events. Instead of a closed league plus a single yearly promotion window, Riot says that from 2027 the VCT runs as a tournament-first system in which 'all teams will compete in a unified system and single tier of competition', and that Open Qualifiers, available to any team worldwide, lead to every Masters and Champions event. Riot announced the plan on April 8, 2026, and the first Open Qualifiers begin in November 2026.
The change matters because the 2026 season, the one still finishing in Shanghai, is described on Wikipedia's season page as the last of the franchised era. In that model most teams that wanted to reach the top had to win one promotion slot a year. The new design keeps partner teams in the system but, in Riot's own words from its June 18 explainer, 'Open teams can qualify for everything. Partner teams have to keep performing.'
2026 as the bridge year: the last franchised season
To see why 2027 is a break, look at what 2026 is. Wikipedia's season page says 2026 is the final season of the franchised era, with the VCT returning to an open qualifier system in 2027, and it cites Sheep Esports' April 8 report on the overhaul. VALO2ASIA adds that 2026 worked as a bridge year, in which Riot introduced a Path to Champions that let four Challenger teams per region into the Stage 2 playoff pathway. The old Ascension model, by contrast, gave only one promotion window a year.
The season is ending in Shanghai. The Spike reports that Champions 2026 runs from September 24 to October 18, 2026, with 16 teams, four from each of the Americas, EMEA, Pacific and China leagues, and a $2.25 million prize pool with $1 million for the winner. It is also the first time China has hosted Champions. That is the template the 2027 season changes: a closed field of four teams per league becomes a field decided by Cups and open qualifiers, though Riot has not yet said how many Champions slots each territory receives.
“VCT 2027 is about reimagining how teams compete and how fans experience VALORANT esports.”
How the 2027 VCT season is built
Riot's announcement describes three principles: 'Every match should carry weight,' 'The path to global events should be open,' and 'Live events should visit more locations.' The practical result is a calendar of more than 20 tournaments a year across more than 16 cities. VALO2ASIA, summarising Riot's announcement, lays out the season flow as Kickoff qualifiers, Kickoff, Masters 1, qualifiers, Cup 1, Masters 2, qualifiers, Cup 2, and Champions.
The new event type is the VCT Cup. There are eight in total, two per territory each year. They are LAN events that replace regular league play, end with a finals weekend with fans, and directly qualify teams for Masters and Champions. Kickoff stays a bespoke event open to any team, with its qualifiers held in the fourth quarter of the previous year, after Champions. That is why the first open qualifiers for the 2027 season are happening this autumn.
Riot also says that regional calendars, slot allocations and event locations will be announced closer to Champions, so some numbers, such as how many teams play in each Cup, are not public yet. We have kept those blanks as blanks.
How a team gets in: Kickoff slots, regions and eligibility
Riot's September 8 post says Open Qualifiers begin in November and that you do not need to register yet, but should start preparing. The Kickoff fields for VCT Americas, EMEA and Pacific have 12 teams each: eight partner teams and four teams from Open Qualifiers. VCT China's Kickoff has 12 teams as well, split into eight partners, two visitors and two open teams, per the June 18 explainer.
The qualifiers are organised by region. For VCT Americas the post lists North America, Latin America North, Latin America South and Brazil. VCT EMEA lists Europe, Turkiye and MENA. VCT Pacific covers South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Southeast Asia, South Asia and Oceania, all marked as coming in early November, while China's details were still to come. Regions may host more than one Open Qualifier.
Eligibility is concrete. Riot says players must be Ascendant or higher and Vanguard check compliant, and that in most regions at least three of the five roster players must be from that region. A team that keeps at least three of its five players keeps its competitive progress through the season. Riot also tells teams to build a roster, make sure players have valid passports and start any travel or visa preparation, and choose a name and brand that do not infringe existing trademarks.
What open teams are paid
The most striking figure in Riot's design is the floor it puts under open teams. In the June 18 explainer, Riot lists fixed qualification payments for open teams: $100,000 for reaching Kickoff or a Cup, $200,000 for Masters and $400,000 for Champions. A team that qualifies for the Game Changers Championship as a non-partner gets an additional $100,000 incentive.
Beyond those payments, the April 8 announcement says each competition carries a cash amount that roughly doubles from Cups to Masters and doubles again from Masters to Champions, within annual prize pools of over $6M. Global events come with fully funded travel. Riot also says it shared more than $86M from digital goods with VCT teams in 2025. Treat that figure as Riot's own claim, since we could not check it independently.
What partners get, and what they do not
The partnership program continues, but with a two-year cycle that begins with the 2027 season. Riot says applications are judged on community growth, fandom and content reach, business sustainability, operational infrastructure and competitive success. Partners receive a guaranteed annual base payment, performance bonuses, a team capsule of in-game skins, and direct seeding into later qualifier rounds.
The catch for partners is that nothing is permanent within the season. The June 18 explainer says partners get direct entry into Kickoff but 'they will not be automatically qualified into every Cup.' Teams that finish outside the top positions at a Cup or Masters drop into Open Playoffs, and the top three teams from each territory at Kickoff qualify for Masters. So a partner badge buys a better starting position, not a seat at the finish.
What we do not know yet
It is worth being straight about the gaps. Riot has not published how many teams play in each Cup or each Open Qualifier, how Champions slots are split by territory, or the full-year 2027 calendar. The April post says those details come closer to Champions, and the September post says competition formats and the full-year calendar will be shared later. Pacific also has an extra step, a Last Chance Qualifier where top teams from South Asia and Oceania compete for Kickoff and Cup places.
The VALORANT Esports news page also lists a post dated October 15, 2026 about the 2027 VCT Americas Kickoff North America qualifiers. We saw only its title in the listing and did not open it, so we are not reporting its contents. If you are a team in that region, read Riot's post directly.
What it means for teams and fans
For non-partner teams the logic is simple: instead of one annual promotion window, there are repeated chances. VALO2ASIA noted that under the old Ascension model Rare Atom finished runner-up three times in Ascension China without being promoted. Pujan 'FNS' Mehta, the Masters Reykjavik 2022 champion, was quoted by VALO2ASIA saying 'Open Qualifiers are the only reason I was able to make a team and make our way up to what you know as Envy/Optic.'
There are real open questions. VALO2ASIA flags visa and travel logistics for a roadshow-style calendar, especially for teams from countries with weaker passports, and notes that how open the system really is depends on slot counts Riot has not announced. For fans, the shift is a calendar with a Cup finals weekend in more cities. For teams, the advice is Riot's own: start preparing now.
Frequently asked
What are VCT 2027 open qualifiers?
VCT 2027 open qualifiers are tournaments any Valorant team worldwide can enter, and they lead into every Masters and Champions event. Riot announced them on April 8, 2026 as part of a tournament-first VCT with a single tier of competition. The first Open Qualifiers begin in November 2026, and Riot says registration dates will be posted on regional channels. Open teams can qualify for Kickoff, Cups, Masters and Champions, and non-partner teams that reach those stages receive fixed qualification payments.
How do teams qualify for VCT 2027 Kickoff?
Each Kickoff for VCT Americas, EMEA and Pacific has 12 teams: eight partner teams and four from Open Qualifiers. VCT China has eight partners, two visitors and two open teams. Kickoff qualifiers are held in the fourth quarter of the previous year, after Champions, which is why Open Qualifiers start in November 2026. Riot says Kickoff stays a bespoke event open to any team, so an open team that wins its way in plays alongside the partners.
What are VCT Cups?
VCT Cups are the new LAN events that replace regular league play in 2027. There are eight in total, two per territory each year. Each Cup ends with a finals weekend with fans and directly qualifies teams to Masters and Champions. Riot says Cups carry a cash amount that roughly doubles at Masters and doubles again at Champions. Partner teams are not automatically qualified into every Cup, and teams that miss out at a Cup or Masters drop into Open Playoffs.
How much do open teams earn in VCT 2027?
Riot's June 18 explainer lists fixed qualification payments for open teams of $100,000 for Kickoff or a Cup, $200,000 for Masters and $400,000 for Champions. A non-partner team that qualifies for the Game Changers Championship gets an extra $100,000 incentive. On top of that, teams can earn from prize pools totalling over $6M a year, and Riot funds travel to global events in full. Riot has not yet published the split of each pool.
Who can enter a VCT 2027 open qualifier?
Riot's September 8 post says players must be Ascendant or higher and Vanguard check compliant, and that in most regions at least three of the five players on a roster must be from that region. Age limits and rank thresholds vary and are listed on regional channels. A team that keeps at least three of its five players keeps its points and progress. Riot advises teams to check passports and visa needs early and to pick a name that does not infringe a trademark.
Is the VCT partnership program ending in 2027?
No. Riot says the partnership program continues with a new two-year cycle beginning with the 2027 season. Applications are judged on community growth, fandom and content reach, business sustainability, operational infrastructure and competitive success. Partners receive a guaranteed annual base payment, performance bonuses, a team capsule and direct seeding into later qualifier rounds. What ends is the guaranteed top-tier seat: Riot says partners have to keep performing and are not automatically qualified for every Cup.