With
VALORANT Champions Shanghai now behind us, Riot Games is already preparing for the next season of its official competitive circuit, including the organizations selected for the next two-year partnership cycle. According to sources close to
Sheep Esports, here are the eight clubs that will be partnered teams in
VCT EMEA:
- Team Heretics
- Fnatic
- Team Liquid
- Karmine Corp
- BBL Esports
- Team Vitality
- FUT Esports
- Gentle Mates
The upcoming cycle will bring changes across all five VCT regions, with the current partnership program, which began in 2023, coming to an end after the 2026 season. From 2027 onwards, EMEA, Americas, Pacific, and China will each have eight
partnered organizations instead of ten. Riot Games is also introducing several changes to the competitive format, with a new structure intended to open up more opportunities for teams to compete. Further details about the changes can be found in
Sheep Esports' coverage of
Riot Games' announcement.
Every team that competed in VCT EMEA in 2026 had its partnership renewed, except
GIANTX and Natus Vincere. The Ukrainian organization has
still decided to stay in the VALORANT ecosystem by investing in its academy project, “Na’Vi Junior”.
Turkey to have two representatives
Even though leaks claiming Turkey wouldn't have any partnered teams for the next cycle circulated in the community over the last few days, the region has secured two organizations:
BBL Esports and
FUT Esports.
It’s a renewal for both, as they were also the two Turkish teams picked in 2023. FUT has made Champions every year it has been in the league except 2025, and has done it with an all-Turkish roster. Turkey had four organizations in the league this year, but from 2027 on, only two will have guaranteed spots.
Three French organizations in the list
The three French powerhouses,
Gentle Mates, Karmine Corp, and
Team Vitality, have renewed their partnership. Gentle Mates had a great year, qualifying for Masters Santiago after winning Kickoff, while Karmine Corp went from last place to VCT EMEA Stage 2 winners, and their project looks very bright heading into next year.
Meanwhile, Team Vitality reached the Champions Shanghai Grand Final before a heartbreaking loss to LOUD, giving fans a reason to believe in their region at the year's most important event. These French organizations have been part of the VALORANT ecosystem for years, and their social presence, combined with their competitiveness in the scene, is more than enough to earn them their slots.
Expected approvals, heartbreaking rejections
Fnatic,
Team Heretics, and
Team Liquid will also remain partner teams, an expected decision since all three organizations are a big part of EMEA's competitive
VALORANT history, and that status is unlikely to change. However, for all these orgs to be here, someone had to miss out, and
Movistar KOI didn't secure a slot. Although MKOI co-owner Ibai Llanos told many teams he was ready to fix
what went wrong the last time the Spanish org competed in the circuit, it wasn't enough. Team Falcons also wanted to join the VCT EMEA but failed to secure a spot.
Check the full list of all the partnered teams across the world in our dedicated article. 
