Leo Faria, the global head of Valorant esports, explained on social media which teams Riot Games will consider adding first to the VCT parented leagues when the current lineup’s contracts run out.
Riot Games announced the initial lineup for its three VCT partnered leagues in 2022 with 30 teams across three leagues invited to play in the closed circuit. The format has since changed, with the best teams from Challengers, the second-tier leagues, allowed to be promoted to the top league for a short time.
Those 30 initial teams signed four-year contracts to stay in the leagues, meaning Riot can choose to offer them another contract after 2026 or let it expire and pick a new esports organization to join the top Valorant leagues.
The boss of Valorant esports at Riot was asked on social media if teams who invested in the Challengers level will get preferential treatment when 2026 rolls around.
Faria explained that participating in Riot’s esports at the grassroots level, without a stipend or recognition from the developer, will make a difference once the reevaluation period comes in a few years.
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“Teams still need to meet our criteria for partnership, but there’s no question that orgs in Challengers are the first in line whenever slots open up,” Faria said.
Playing in one of Riot’s closed leagues in League of Legends or Valorant would be a boost for many esports organizations. The prospect of getting into what became the VCT leagues brought many teams into the esport between 2020 and 2022.
However, those not chosen for a VCT league quickly left the Valorant competitive landscape, leaving the second tier barren of paid opportunities for Valorant players outside of the highest level. Some organizations like G2 Esports and TSM remained in the esport in hopes of winning their way back to top-level Valorant.
Those teams now have a reason to stick with Challengers, outside of the prospect of winning their way into the top level, as Riot could offer them a spot in a VCT league ahead of other flashier prospects.
