VCT 2027 Open Qualifiers launch November, creating clearer path for amateur teams to Champions

Riot Games has confirmed that the VCT 2027 Open Qualifiers begin in November 2026, giving amateur and non-partnered VALORANT teams a public route into the Champions Tour and, ultimately, to Champions. The system also comes with significant financial support for teams that make it through.

How the pathway works

The route runs from Open Qualifiers to VCT Kickoff, then to Cups, Masters and Champions. Each region’s Kickoff event will feature eight partner teams plus four teams that come through the Open Qualifiers, so a third of every Kickoff field is reserved for open competitors. Some regions may host more than one Open Qualifier per cycle.

Regions, including MENA

The Open Qualifiers cover 16 regions across the four VCT territories.

Americas: North America, Latin America North, Latin America South and Brazil. EMEA: Europe, Türkiye and MENA. Pacific: South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Southeast Asia, South Asia and Oceania. Details for China will be announced separately.

MENA having its own qualifier within EMEA matters for teams in the Gulf. It means Saudi, Emirati and other regional rosters compete for a place against teams from their own region first, rather than having to break through a single pan-European bracket.

Eligibility

Players need valid passports, must meet age requirements that vary by region, and must reach minimum MMR thresholds. At least three of a team’s five roster players must be from the region they compete in. Teams that keep three or more players together retain their competitive progress across the season.

Money for non-partner teams

Riot is backing the system with direct support for teams outside the partnership programme. Qualifying for Kickoff or a Cup is worth 100,000 US dollars, qualifying for Masters 200,000, and qualifying for Champions 400,000, with a maximum of 1.1 million per team in a season. Total competitive rewards across the programme exceed 7 million dollars, and the Game Changers Championship carries a further 1 million.

How to register

Registration was not yet open at the time of the announcement. Riot has told teams to begin preparing now and to follow their regional VCT channels, where registration dates, rulesets and the full calendar will be published. MENA teams should watch the official VCT EMEA and regional VALORANT accounts.

Why it matters

For amateur players, this is the clearest path to Champions VALORANT has offered. A team that starts in a November open bracket can, in principle, reach the world championship within the same season, and it gets paid along the way.

For MENA specifically, a dedicated qualifier plus guaranteed Kickoff slots gives local organisations a realistic target and a reason to invest in stable rosters now. Teams that want to take part should lock in at least three regional players, check passports and MMR levels, and be ready when registration opens.