The competitive Valorant scene is represented by many leagues, but the VCT division, featuring partner teams, is by far the most popular. Recently, Leo Faria, the head of Valorant's esports division, shared insights into how teams can join the partner program and who will be prioritized.
The First Appearance of Partner Teams
The list of partner teams was first announced before the start of 2022, when Riot Games had already fully established the competitive season and tournaments scheduled for that year. Initially, there were only 30 partner teams, with 10 from each competitive region: EMEA, Pacific, and Americas. Since then, many changes have occurred. Riot modified the regular season, which now consists of two stages of regional competitions, two major international Masters tournaments, and the year's main event, Valorant Champions. Additionally, the number of partner teams has increased. A new region, China, was added, along with an additional slot for each region. Today, the total number of partner teams is 44, with 11 from each region.
Changes to Riot's Partnership Program
Leo Faria recently announced that changes are coming to the partnership system in 2026. This information was published by the well-known portal Dexerto on its official website. Since the partner teams signed a 4-year contract in 2024, it means that in 2026, the contracts will expire, and significant changes are expected on the VCT scene. While Faria did not provide details on which teams will extend their contracts, he confirmed that changes are indeed coming. He also noted that tier-2 teams from the Challengers league will be given high priority.
Teams still need to meet our partnership criteria, but there's no doubt that organizations in Challengers are first in line when VCT slots open up.
It’s worth noting that the Challengers league is currently the primary opportunity for tier-2 teams to reach the top competitive stage of Valorant. In 2023, the following teams: Bleed Esports, Gentle Mates, Dragon Ranger Gaming, The Guard - won the Ascension tournaments in their regions and earned a slot in the partner league for 2024/2025.
For now, it’s unclear which teams plan to leave the VCT partner league at the end of their contracts. We’ll have to wait until 2026 to find out the new participants in Valorant’s top competitive division.
SOURCE: Dexerto
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