Commencing in 2026, the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) International Leagues will maintain a fixed roster of 12 teams, granting Ascension teams an opportunity to extend their presence in the premier competition.
The determination of both the duration of current teams’ involvement in the VCT and the selection of which Ascension teams will be included will be governed by newly implemented promotion and relegation guidelines.
A Comprehensive Explanation of VCT Ascension Promotion and Relegation Rules
Initially, upon the announcement of the Challengers and Ascension leagues, it was stipulated that Ascension teams would participate in the VCT circuit for a two-year period before reverting to the secondary league.
Furthermore, the overall count of teams within the International Leagues was projected to augment each season until reaching a total of 42 teams spanning all regions.
Nevertheless, this framework possessed a significant limitation, as even high-performing Ascension teams were still subject to compulsory relegation.
To resolve this issue, Riot Games has unveiled a promotion and relegation structure predicated on performance, enabling teams to transition between Challengers, Ascension, and VCT based on their achievements. Here’s a breakdown of the revised system:
- Should an Ascension team secure qualification for VALORANT Champions, its VCT contract will be automatically prolonged for an additional season. In the scenario where both Ascension teams from a given region attain Champions qualification, the team with the superior performance will retain its position, while the other will need to compete for its place at Ascension the following year.
- Ascension teams that advance to the VCT Stage 2 Playoffs will also gain eligibility to compete at the subsequent year’s Ascension tournament.
- However, if either or both teams fail to progress to the Stage 2 Playoffs, they will be demoted back to their respective Challengers Leagues. This ensures the introduction of two novel Ascension teams to the VCT.
Currently, only G2 Esports has earned a spot at VALORANT Champions Paris based on Championship Points and is very near to solidifying its place in VCT Americas for another year. Its competitor, 2G Esports, would require a significant performance surge in Americas Stage 2 and surpass G2 at Champions — an event that seems improbable — to alter the outcome.
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