In September 2022, we announced the 30 partnered esports teams that would make up the three inaugural international VALORANT leagues competing in the 2023 VALORANT Championship Tournament.
The three leagues — Americas, EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa), and Pacific — are comprised of teams that will represent the premier level of competition in the VCT, and were chosen based off of the values Riot Games upholds, the connections teams have made to build out their respective communities, and their mission to build the next era of esports while creating amazing experiences for fans across the globe.
This decision is meant to establish a sure fire way for premier teams to maintain a level of sustainability in the VALORANT scene, something we know holds a special place in the teams’ hearts, as well as a place in our fans’ hearts.
But this sort of “franchising,” is considered more of a partnership between the teams and Riot Games, one that does include a stipend to help with the cost of managing those teams. As for the rest of the teams who were not selected to be a part of the partnership, we want you to know that this move does not mean it’s the end of your VCT journey.
This year, we’ve expanded the number of leagues open for teams to compete in the VALORANT Challengers circuit through regional tournaments in their league. This path offers teams not selected for partnership to compete for a chance to play at the VALORANT Championship Tournament. Teams who proceed from each regional will move onto the Challengers Ascension tournaments, and only those who win the Ascension tournaments will be allowed to compete in the international league championship.
We are very excited to see the future of VALORANT and where this move will take us. Look forward to seeing an exciting roster of matches and players in the weeks to come.
More information about the route to VCT through open qualifiers in the North America League can be found here. Additionally, be on the lookout for more information to come regarding the way the in-game competitive system will seamlessly bridge with the VCT in months to come. We have a lot in store for you!