Riot Games has revealed the first concrete details for the 2027 VALORANT Champions Tour Open Qualifiers, with competition beginning in November 2026.
The new system is one of the biggest structural changes in VCT history. Starting in 2027, open teams will have a direct route into Kickoff and can continue progressing toward Cups, Masters and Champions without needing the old season-long Ascension pathway.
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VCT 2027 Open Qualifiers begin in November
Riot says Open Qualifiers for the 2027 season will begin in November.
Registration is not open yet, but teams are being encouraged to prepare their rosters, travel documents and regional eligibility before local registration details are announced.
In VCT Americas, EMEA and Pacific, each Kickoff event will feature 12 teams:
- 8 partner teams
- 4 teams from Open Qualifiers
Riot has not yet announced the full VCT China Kickoff structure, with additional details expected later.
That immediately gives open teams a meaningful route into the top level of competition before the 2027 season formally begins.
Open teams can reach Masters and Champions
The change is larger than a one-time Kickoff qualifier.
Riot’s 2027 format is designed so open teams can continue advancing throughout the year. Teams that perform well can qualify for Cups and then earn places at Masters and Champions through the same broader tournament system used by partner teams.
This replaces the previous structure in which non-partner teams had a much narrower path through Challengers and Ascension.
Riot has also said regions may run multiple Open Qualifiers during a competitive cycle, giving teams more than one opportunity to enter or re-enter the VCT ecosystem.
VCT 2027 roster requirements
Riot highlighted several requirements teams should prepare for before registration opens.
The key points are:
- Build a full competitive roster before registration
- Make sure players have valid passports
- Start travel and visa preparations early where required
- Follow regional eligibility rules, including age limits and MMR thresholds
- In most regions, at least 3 of 5 players must be from that region
- Open and creator-led teams that retain at least 3 of 5 players can keep their competitive progress during the season
- Team names, logos and branding must not infringe trademarks, copyrights or other intellectual property
The roster-continuity rule is particularly important for independent teams. Keeping three players allows an open team to preserve the progress it has already earned instead of starting from zero after every roster change.
The 16 VCT Open Qualifier regions
Riot plans Open Qualifiers across 16 regions covering all four VCT territories.
VCT Americas
- North America
- Latin America North
- Latin America South
- Brazil
VCT EMEA
- Europe
- Türkiye
- MENA
VCT Pacific
- South Korea
- Japan
- Thailand
- Indonesia
- Vietnam
- Southeast Asia – Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and the rest of Southeast Asia
- South Asia
- Oceania
VCT China
- China
Exact dates, formats and eligibility requirements will vary by region. Riot says those details will be announced through regional VCT channels as registration approaches.
Riot is adding fixed payments for non-partner teams
The open system also comes with direct financial support for teams that qualify into major VCT stages.
Riot has confirmed that non-partner teams reaching major stages will receive fixed qualification payments in addition to being eligible for applicable tournament prize pools.
According to the initial details reported from Riot’s announcement, qualification rewards include:
- $100,000 for qualifying to Kickoff or a Cup
- $200,000 for qualifying to Masters
- $400,000 for qualifying to Champions
The wider support structure can reach up to $1.1 million across the season for a successful open team, while competitive prize pools remain separate.
That matters because one of the biggest challenges for non-partner organizations is financing salaries, travel, visas and bootcamps while trying to break into international competition.
Partner teams still keep important advantages
VCT is becoming more open, but Riot is not removing the partnership system.
Partner teams retain benefits including a base stipend, performance-related rewards, team capsules and direct placement into parts of the competitive structure.
For Kickoff in Americas, EMEA and Pacific, all eight partner teams are guaranteed places alongside the four teams that qualify through the open path.
After that, however, performance becomes increasingly important as teams move through the tournament-based season.
How the 2027 VCT path is changing
Riot has described the next version of VCT around a simple idea – everything is a tournament.
Regular season league play is being replaced by Cups, with more events and more chances for teams to qualify into global competition.
The intended path for an open team is:
- Enter an Open Qualifier
- Reach regional Kickoff or a Cup
- Earn results and competitive progress
- Qualify for Masters
- Continue toward Champions
The exact route will differ by territory and by the regional events available during the year, but the core change is clear – open teams no longer need to wait for a single end-of-year promotion opportunity to reach the top level.
What happens before VCT 2027 starts
The final months of 2026 will now serve two purposes.
The current season ends with VALORANT Champions Shanghai 2026, which begins September 24. You can see the qualified teams, format and dates in Frag’s Champions Shanghai 2026 guide.
After Champions, attention will quickly move to the November Open Qualifiers and the first roster-building phase for 2027.
Riot says a full-year calendar and more detailed regional Open Qualifier information will be announced in the coming months.
For aspiring teams, the most important deadline is already clear – the first VCT 2027 Open Qualifiers begin in November.
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