VCT partnership announcements reshape 2027 field as Navi and DRX miss out
VCT partnership announcements reshape 2027 field as Navi and DRX miss out
Organizations across the VCT have begun confirming their status for the next partnership cycle, with several established teams losing partner positions ahead of 2027.
The incoming agreements run for two years, with eight partnered organizations per regional competition. Announcements remain ongoing, so incomplete regional lists should not be treated as finalized fields.
EMEA confirms eight returning partners
The announced EMEA selections are:
| Organization | Status |
|---|---|
| Team Heretics | Selected |
| BBL Esports | Selected |
| Team Vitality | Selected |
| Team Liquid | Selected |
| Gentle Mates | Selected |
| Karmine Corp | Selected |
| FUT Esports | Selected |
| Fnatic | Selected |
Navi and GIANTX were among the organizations announcing that they had not been selected. Barça Esports and Eintracht Frankfurt also confirmed unsuccessful applications.
Navi continue through their academy project
Navi will remain in VALORANT despite losing their partnership position. The organization plans to focus on its existing Navi Junior roster rather than assemble a new senior lineup.
That team will represent Navi at Project Blender 2026: Phase 2 and the VCT EMEA Kickoff Qualifiers, preserving a competitive route into the new system.
RRQ and ZETA announce Pacific selections
In Pacific, Rex Regum Qeon and ZETA DIVISION confirmed their selection.
Nongshim RedForce , KIWOOM DRX , Detonation FocusMe and BOOM Esports announced that they had not been selected. Nongshim and DRX nevertheless intend to continue competing in VALORANT in 2027.
These announcements do not establish the complete eight-team Pacific partner list. Organizations whose status remains unannounced should not be classified as rejected.
Americas announcements include LOUD , Sentinels and KRÜ
LOUD , Sentinels and KRÜ Esports were among the organizations confirming their partnership positions.
Cloud9 , Shopify Rebellion Black , M80 , FlyQuest and ENVY announced unsuccessful applications. Cloud9 said it would remain involved in VALORANT despite missing out.
The Americas announcement process was still ongoing, with additional selections awaiting confirmation.
China names its eight partners
China’s announced partner organizations are:
TYLOO , Weibo Gaming, Xi Lai Gaming, All Gamers , JD Gaming , Trace Esports , EDward Gaming and Bilibili Gaming .
The reported Chinese structure also includes two visitor or guest positions and two open-qualifier slots alongside the eight partners.
Across the regions, losing partnership status does not automatically mean an organization is leaving VALORANT. Several affected clubs have explicitly committed to continuing through the incoming competitive system.
