The Valorant Champions Tour partner team pool in China is expected to shrink before 2027.
Report: Riot may reduce Valorant China partner teams from 10 to eight for 2027-2028: EDG, JDG, Bilibili, TYLOO, All Gamers, Trace, Xi Lai, Weibo.
Sheep Esports reports that eight organisations are expected to partner with VCT China in 2027 and 2028, as Riot Games reduces the number of partner teams from 10 to eight across its regions. The reported China lineup includes EDward Gaming, JD Gaming, Bilibili Gaming, TYLOO, All Gamers, Trace Esports, Xi Lai Gaming and Weibo Gaming. Riot has not officially confirmed the teams or announced the full details of the China format.
Background: the first partnership cycle began in 2023 and ends after 2026
The first VCT partnership cycle began in 2023 and is set to conclude after the 2026 season. The reported change would come at the end of that cycle, when Riot Games is expected to reduce the partner group from 10 teams to eight in China, as in the other regions.
The 2023 cycle therefore matters because it marks the start of the current partner structure. The 2026 season matters because it is the final year before the next reported partnership window. The 2027 and 2028 period is where the reported reduction to eight organisations would take effect.
Development: the reported 2027 and 2028 China lineup takes shape
The reported eight-team group for VCT China is EDward Gaming, JD Gaming, Bilibili Gaming, TYLOO, All Gamers, Trace Esports, Xi Lai Gaming and Weibo Gaming.
EDward Gaming is included in the reported group after winning Champions 2024. Sheep Esports describes that title as China’s only international title since the current circuit began. That achievement gives EDward Gaming a central place in the reported 2027 and 2028 partner conversation.
Xi Lai Gaming is expected to move from a guest slot into the partner group after winning Ascension in 2024. Sheep Esports reports that the team has played at every international LAN since Masters Toronto 2025. Its reported path from Ascension victory to international LAN presence is part of the case for its expected partner status.
Weibo Gaming is also expected to return to the group. The organisation did not secure a partner slot in 2023 and later left VALORANT before returning to the scene in early 2026. Its reported return to the partner group would mark another step in its comeback.
Four current partners are reported to miss the next cycle: FunPlus Phoenix, Nova Esports, Titan Esports Club and Wolves Esports. Wolves Esports is reported to be set to miss out despite its surprise showing at Masters Toronto 2025.
Dragon Ranger Gaming, which held a guest slot like Xi Lai Gaming, is also reported to have been left out. The reported changes would reshape which organisations hold partner status in China.
Latest stage: an open 2027 path, but qualification mechanics remain unresolved
The wider picture is that Riot Games is moving toward a more open competitive year in 2027. The first partnership cycle ends after the 2026 season, and the reported partner group for China would shrink from 10 to eight for 2027 and 2028.
Losing partner status would not necessarily end a team’s route to major events. Sheep Esports reports that teams outside the partner group may still qualify for Cups and Masters events by building successful projects. The relationship between VALORANT’s Tier 1 and Tier 2 scenes remains relevant as the competitive structure moves in that direction.
However, the route back for non-partner teams will depend on rules Riot has yet to spell out. Sheep Esports reports that China’s format may differ from those in the other three regions, leaving qualification mechanics unresolved.
For readers following VCT China, the key point is that the reported eight-team partner list for 2027 and 2028 is not an official Riot announcement. It is a report based on sources cited by Sheep Esports. Riot has not confirmed the teams or the full details of the China format.
The current stage is therefore defined by three reported numbers: 10 partner teams at the start of the next reported reduction, eight partner organisations for VCT China in 2027 and 2028, and a 2026 season that closes the first partnership cycle before the 2027 open-year direction begins.
The report first appeared on Esports Insider.
FAQ
Which teams are reported to be in the 2027–2028 VCT China partner group?
The reported eight organisations are EDward Gaming, JD Gaming, Bilibili Gaming, TYLOO, All Gamers, Trace Esports, Xi Lai Gaming and Weibo Gaming.
Is this partner list officially confirmed by Riot Games?
No. Riot Games has not officially confirmed the teams or announced the full details of the China format; this is a report based on sources cited by Sheep Esports.
When is the reported change expected to take effect?
The first VCT partnership cycle began in 2023 and is set to end after the 2026 season. The reported reduction from 10 partner teams to eight is expected to apply in 2027 and 2028.
Which teams are reported to miss the next partner cycle?
FunPlus Phoenix, Nova Esports, Titan Esports Club and Wolves Esports are reported to miss the next partner cycle, while Dragon Ranger Gaming is also reported to be left out.
Can teams outside the reported partner group still qualify for major events?
Sheep Esports reports that non-partner teams may still qualify for Cups and Masters events by building successful projects, but the qualification mechanics remain unresolved because Riot has not yet spelled out the rules.
Comments (0)