Fresh off their Spring Split championship in the LFL Division 2, Team Valiant has decided to withdraw from the league ahead of the Summer Split, Sheep Esports has learned from sources close to the matter. A decision initiated by the organization itself, as part of a broader effort to cut costs and resolve ongoing financial difficulties, including several payment delays across its League of Legends and VALORANT divisions.

Delayed payments

According to several current and former team members, Team Valiant has struggled to meet its contractual obligations across various roles — players, staff, and creatives — with some individuals claiming they haven’t been paid in several months.

"I’ve been at Valiant for several years. 90% of the time, there were delays, but this season was catastrophic. Right now, they owe me four months of salary. I haven’t been paid since February," a member of the VALORANT division told Sheep Esports. They also described selective payments within the club and incoherent excuses from management, ranging from “Brexit” to “Black Friday.”

Graphic designer Kaissa_psd also spoke out publicly on X to denounce the situation. He said he left Valiant after facing constant payment delays since joining in June 2024, with salaries sometimes paid up to four months late. He especially criticized the organization for its lack of communication and transparency, explaining that issues were only raised internally “2 or 3 months ago,” while in his view, “the difficulties had started as soon as [he] arrived.”

According to internal messages reviewed by Sheep Esports, Team Valiant’s management blames the financial instability on a sponsor pulling out of a five-figure contract. In response, they claim to have injected personal funds and reduced staff in order to prioritize player payments. Despite these efforts, the situation remained unsustainable, pushing the organization to leave the LFL Division 2.

The Valiant roster wants to stay together

The club hopes that by stepping away from the League of Legends scene, it can stabilize its finances and begin repaying its debts to players and staff. Team Valiant is currently working with Webedia — which manages the LFL — to identify a new structure that could take over its Division 2 slot for the Summer Split. The organization hopes that its current players, who are eager to remain together, can continue under a different banner.

Although the League of Legends roster was reportedly prioritized for payments, delays were still reported during the Spring Split. One player stated that some payments arrived late, even around the time of the title.

In a post published on X last month, Team Valiant founder Simba acknowledged the financial difficulties, citing the sponsor’s withdrawal and a backlog of debt the organization has been trying to resolve since January. He reaffirmed his personal commitment to repaying everyone affected and expressed hope to rebuild the project in the future.

LFL2 still financially unstable

Sheep Esports reached out to Webedia for comment on the situation. “We regret this type of situation, which unfortunately remains part of a developing ecosystem. That’s why we’re always available to listen to players and teams and, if necessary, act as a mediator,” a spokesperson said.

This marks the third consecutive year that an LFL Division 2 organization has faced payment issues. In 2023, VIV Esports experienced similar struggles before leaving the league. In 2024, Akroma also suffered payment delays — which have since been resolved — following its own withdrawal from competition. A recurring issue that highlights the lingering financial fragility within the ecosystem.