Valorant Esports is rebuilding the 2027 Valorant Champions Tour around a tournament-first format, with more than 50 competitions across 15 cities. The season will use Opens, Kickoff, Cups, Masters and Champions instead of long stretches of league play.
Partner teams will remain part of the circuit, but Valorant Esports says advancement after Kickoff will be tied to performance. Open teams will be able to enter through qualification paths, face established organizations and work toward Cups and global events. Regional Opens will also give teams a route from local competition into larger VCT events.
Qualifying begins before 2027
Kickoff Qualifiers are scheduled to start in November 2026. Open qualification will continue throughout the season, giving teams multiple entry points and additional chances to reach Cups.
Valorant Esports also plans more financial support for qualifying open teams, including guaranteed qualification payments. The announcement did not specify payment amounts.
Other changes to the circuit
Game Changers will conclude at Champions in 2027, moving its finale onto the VCT's biggest stage. Riot is also changing the weapon featured in its esports bundle, with the Ghost replacing the Classic.
The announcement establishes the competition formats and scale of the tour, but the full tournament calendar and city-by-city schedule remain to be detailed.
