VCT 2027: Riot names 15 host cities as Valorant opens tour to unsigned teams
Representative image: Timrael / Pixabay
Riot Games named VCT 2027 host cities on October 15, 2026: Kickoffs from January 14, Masters in Seoul and Valencia, Champions in Austin; open qualifiers start in November.
What Happened
Riot Games has named the host cities and dates for the VCT 2027 season, the first year of its redesigned Valorant Champions Tour, which replaces the regional leagues with more than 50 tournaments across about 15 cities and open qualifiers for unsigned teams. The schedule, revealed on October 15, 2026, starts with four regional Kickoff events from January 14 to February 7, 2027, in São Paulo, Berlin, Bangkok and Hangzhou. The first Masters event will be in Seoul from February 20 to March 3, the second in Valencia, Spain, from June 5 to 20, and the season ends with Champions in Austin, Texas, from September 16 to October 10, 2027. Qualifiers for the Kickoff events begin in November 2026.
Key Facts
- More than 50 tournaments across about 15 cities in the 2027 season.
- Kickoff (January 14 to February 7): São Paulo, Berlin, Bangkok and Hangzhou.
- Masters Seoul: February 20 to March 3. Masters Valencia: June 5 to 20.
- Cup 1 (April 29 to May 23): Mexico City, Warsaw, Manila and Wuhan.
- Cup 2 (August 5 to 29): Rio de Janeiro, Istanbul, Tokyo and Shanghai.
- Champions, held together with the Game Changers Championship: Austin, September 16 to October 10.
- Open qualifiers start in November 2026; Riot has promised more financial support for open teams that qualify, including guaranteed qualification payments.
Why It Matters
Until now, top-level Valorant has been organised around four regional leagues: the Americas, EMEA, Pacific and China. The 2027 system moves away from that model. The season is now built around tournaments rather than league seasons, and open qualifiers come before the Kickoffs and before each Cup. The Cups replace the regular-season league stages and act as qualifiers for the Masters events.
For young players, this is the most important part. A team of unsigned players that does well in an open qualifier can, in principle, play its way into a Kickoff or a Cup and then towards Masters. Riot's promise of guaranteed payments for qualifying open teams matters too, because one of the biggest barriers for new teams is the cost of travel, practice and staff before they win any prize money.
The Pacific region, the one closest to India, gets three stops: the Bangkok Kickoff, the Manila Cup and the Tokyo Cup, with Seoul hosting the first Masters. The Manila stop is the first Pacific Cup, from April 29 to May 23, 2027, though Riot has not yet named the venue, the teams or ticket details.
| Event | City | Dates (2027) |
|---|---|---|
| Kickoff (Pacific) | Bangkok | January 14 to February 7 |
| Masters 1 | Seoul | February 20 to March 3 |
| Cup 1 (Pacific) | Manila | April 29 to May 23 |
| Masters 2 | Valencia | June 5 to 20 |
| Cup 2 (Pacific) | Tokyo | August 5 to 29 |
| Champions | Austin | September 16 to October 10 |
Impact
Short-term: Teams and players across the world now have a calendar for 2027 and about a month before the first open qualifiers begin in November. Organisations will decide which rosters to enter, and fans in host cities can plan for live events.
Long-term: If the open system works, the pool of teams with a real shot at the top should grow, and new talent could rise faster than under the league model. The test will be whether open teams can compete with the long-established organisations, and whether Riot's financial support is enough to keep them going for a full season.
Who is affected: Valorant players hoping to turn professional, esports organisations, established teams that now face open competition, fans in the 15 host cities, and the wider gaming community that follows the tour.
Key Takeaway
VCT 2027 opens top-level Valorant to unsigned teams through qualifiers starting in November 2026, with a season running from the January Kickoffs to Champions in Austin in October 2027.
Questions and Answers
What is VCT 2027?
VCT 2027 is the 2027 season of Riot Games' Valorant Champions Tour. It has more than 50 tournaments across about 15 cities, built around Kickoffs, Cups, two Masters events and Champions, with open qualifiers for unsigned teams.
When do VCT 2027 open qualifiers start?
Qualifiers for the 2027 Kickoff events begin in November 2026. Further open qualifiers come before each Cup during the season.
Where is VCT Champions 2027?
Champions 2027 will be held in Austin, Texas, from September 16 to October 10, 2027, together with the Game Changers Championship.
Which Pacific cities host VCT 2027 events?
Bangkok hosts the Pacific Kickoff from January 14 to February 7, Manila hosts the first Pacific Cup from April 29 to May 23, and Tokyo hosts the second from August 5 to 29. Seoul hosts Masters 1 from February 20 to March 3.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
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