VCT EMEA’s 2027 Kickoff qualifiers will send four non-partner teams to Berlin, with two places for Europe and one each for Türkiye and MENA. The November schedule is now set, and the entry rules mean teams must check player age, rank, residency and roster continuity before signing up.
The 12-team Kickoff will also include eight partnered teams. Each non-partner team that qualifies through the open route will receive $100,000, giving these qualifiers a substantial prize beyond the Berlin berth.
Three regions, three different routes
Each region runs two open qualifiers, but the path from those events to Kickoff is not identical. Open qualifiers use single-elimination brackets with best-of-three matches; playoff, decider and final formats vary by region.
- Europe: Qualifiers run November 5–8 and 12–15. The top four from each join eight invited non-partner teams in a 16-team double-elimination playoff, with best-of-three matches and a best-of-five grand final. The top two qualify.
- Türkiye: Qualifiers run November 10–13 and 18–21. The top two from each join four invited teams, then compete in two GSL-style groups of four. The top two in each group enter a double-elimination bracket; its best-of-five final winner qualifies.
- MENA: Middle East and North Africa qualifiers run in parallel, November 1–3 and 9–11. Their winners meet in regional best-of-five matches, with the final winner advancing to Kickoff.
Europe and Türkiye playoffs are scheduled for November 26–December 5. MENA’s qualifier decider is November 20, followed by its LAN final on December 6. The final is planned for one location to support low-latency play.
Eligibility is strict, and registration is already open
Players must be at least 17 and have reached Ascendant 1 or higher at registration or during the previous three acts. Teams choose Europe, Türkiye or MENA as their home region when registering, and at least three of their five starters must be residents of that region. No more than two starters may be non-residents.
That regional minimum must hold as teams progress, and a team advancing to playoffs must retain at least three players from the roster that qualified. Every player needs a valid passport and a Riot platform profile for verification; country-specific eligibility is set out in the competition rules. Team names and branding must also respect existing intellectual property.
First-round registration opened October 15. Europe’s first qualifier registration closes October 28, Türkiye’s November 7, and both MENA sub-regions’ October 28. Registration for the second rounds is set for November 7–10 in Europe, November 11–15 in Türkiye and November 3–6 in MENA.
The first deadlines are close
Teams should check their chosen region and starting five before the registration window closes; changing regions later is allowed only in certain circumstances. Select non-partner teams will receive direct invitations to Europe and Türkiye playoff stages, while selected MENA teams can receive higher qualifier seeding based on 2026 competitive performance.
The first matches begin in MENA on November 1, four days before Europe’s opening qualifier. For teams chasing Berlin, the roster and eligibility checks come before the first map.
