VCT China May Have 8 Partner Teams in 2027 and 2028

The reported 32-team structure gives each region eight slots, but Riot has not confirmed the selections or China's full qualification rules.

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The reported VCT partner field for 2027 and 2028 would fall from 40 organizations to 32, with eight slots each across EMEA, Pacific, China and the Americas. Riot Games has not confirmed the selections. The regional lists available on Oct. 19, 2026, were incomplete, with the EMEA entries still being updated.

The first partnership cycle began in 2023 and ends after the 2026 season, so the reported changes would apply to the next cycle.

Names visible across the regional lists

The visible EMEA entries were Team Heretics, BBL Esports and Fnatic. Pacific entries included Paper Rex, T1, FULL SENSE, RRQ Esports, Crazy Raccoon and Bilibili Gaming. The visible Americas names were LOUD, G2 Esports, NRG, Sentinels, MIBR, KRÜ and LEVIATÁN. Those names do not make complete eight-team lineups, particularly in EMEA, where the list was explicitly unfinished.

Reported exclusions across the regions included Movistar KOI, KIWOOM DRX, FunPlus Phoenix, Cloud9, FURIA, Shopify Rebellion and M80. Global Esports was also named among the Pacific teams left out, after the organization announced its departure from esports. G2 Esports would enter the reported Americas field after holding a guest slot since 2024.

China’s reported partner lineup

The expected Chinese partners are EDward Gaming, JD Gaming, Bilibili Gaming, TYLOO, All Gamers, Trace Esports, Xi Lai Gaming and Weibo Gaming. Xi Lai Gaming would move from a guest slot into the partner group after winning Ascension in 2024. It has competed at every international LAN since Masters Toronto 2025.

Weibo Gaming is also expected to return to the partner group. The organization missed out on a slot in 2023, later left VALORANT, and returned to the scene in early 2026. EDward Gaming remains among the expected eight after winning Champions 2024, described as China’s only international title since the current circuit began.

Four current Chinese partners are absent from the reported lineup: FunPlus Phoenix, Nova Esports, Titan Esports Club and Wolves Esports. Dragon Ranger Gaming, another organization with a guest slot, is also missing. Wolves would miss the next cycle despite its surprise showing at Masters Toronto 2025.

Partnership brings benefits, not a guaranteed tournament place

Reported partners would retain baseline revenue from Riot Games and receive in-game skins. The 2027 format also opens routes for non-partner teams. Outside China, partners have direct entry to Kickoff, but partnership status does not guarantee a place in later Cups or LAN events. Successful teams outside the partner group can still qualify for international LANs and earn Riot revenue through the circuit.

China has a different arrangement. Partner and visitor teams receive direct entry to Kickoff and both Cups. Teams outside the partner group may also pursue places through the wider competitive route, but China’s full qualification path remains unclear. Losing partner status alone does not establish that an organization is out of contention.

Which team outside the reported partner groups do you think has the strongest chance to earn its way into the 2027 events? As Riot changes the balance between partner benefits and open qualification, follow the developing format on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.

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