VCT China’s next partnership cycle is set to trade two slots for a fresh pecking order. Sheep Esports reports that eight organizations are expected to partner with Riot Games for 2027-2028: EDward Gaming, JD Gaming, Bilibili Gaming, TYLOO, All Gamers, Trace Esports, Xi Lai Gaming and Weibo Gaming. The list is reported, not officially confirmed by Riot, and would cut the number of partners from ten to eight.
The reshuffle is selective rather than a collapse of the scene: six existing partners are expected to stay, XLG would graduate from its guest slot, and Weibo would return to the partnered group. Meanwhile, FunPlus Phoenix, Nova Esports, Titan Esports Club and Wolves Esports are expected to lose long-term partner status, though that would not automatically shut them out of Riot competition.
Continuity, with two new seats at the table
EDward Gaming is the headline holdover. It won the 2024 VALORANT World Championship, which Sheep Esports describes as China’s only international title since the current circuit began. That result gives EDG a clear competitive case for staying in the room, even as the partnership structure itself changes.
Xi Lai Gaming, also known as XLG, is the clearest upward mover. After winning China Ascension in 2024, the team is reported to have played at every international LAN since Masters Toronto 2025; its expected move from guest to partner would turn that run into two seasons of greater organizational security.
TYLOO and JD Gaming are also expected to remain partners after qualifying for VALORANT Champions Shanghai. Their inclusion adds recent high-level results to the continuity case, while Bilibili Gaming, All Gamers and Trace Esports round out the six organizations reported to be keeping their existing positions.
Weibo Gaming is the other notable addition to the expected eight. The organization returned to VALORANT in early 2026 with mixed results, but its project has included Milan de Meij as head coach; he joined after more than a year and a half with Fnatic, including a spell as the team’s head coach. Riot’s broader planned VCT changes for 2027 set the stage for this reset, but do not make the reported China lineup official.
Wolves are out of the partner picture, not necessarily the circuit
The expected departures are FunPlus Phoenix, Nova Esports, Titan Esports Club and Wolves Esports. Wolves stands out among the four after its surprise run at Masters Toronto 2025, while Dragon Ranger Gaming, which held a guest slot like XLG, is also reported to have missed selection.
Losing a partnership means losing that long-term place in the structure, not necessarily leaving VALORANT. Sheep Esports reports that non-partner teams could still qualify for Cups and even Masters if they build a successful project, while cautioning that China’s format may differ from those in other regions. The distinction matters: the route remains open, but no one should mistake an opportunity to qualify for a guaranteed ticket.
That distinction is part of the broader VCT structure and its relationship between partnered teams and Tier 2 contenders. A partner slot offers a different kind of security from earning a place through competition, and the reported list makes that divide newly visible for Chinese organizations.
Selection logic remains a question mark
One rumor circulating on Weibo suggests that an organization’s presence in League of Legends may have been a prerequisite, or at least an important consideration, for Riot’s selection. That remains unverified, and the reported lineup itself complicates the theory: Trace Esports and TYLOO are not currently active in League of Legends.
There are details that might appear to support the speculation. Xi Lai recently entered China’s Tier 2 League of Legends scene, while Weibo has competed in the LPL since 2021. But those are contextual observations, not confirmed selection criteria, and they do not settle why these eight organizations were reportedly chosen.
The first VCT partnership cycle began in 2023 and is due to conclude with the 2026 season. The reported reduction from ten partners to eight applies across China, EMEA, Americas and Pacific, alongside a competitive year described as more open and subject to several format changes. Riot’s wider partnership-model shifts in esports underline the business stakes, but the available reporting does not establish the full details of China’s new format.
For now, the expected winners are the six continuing partners, XLG and Weibo; the most conspicuous omissions include Wolves and Dragon Ranger Gaming, alongside FPX, Nova and TEC. The next concrete step is Riot’s formal confirmation of the China partnership list and the detailed 2027 format, which will show exactly how non-partner teams can pursue those remaining routes to Cups and Masters.
