Riot Games Partners With JioBLAST For VCT 2027 South Asia Qualifiers
Riot Games has partnered with JioBLAST to run the VCT 2027 Kickoff Open Qualifiers for South Asia, giving teams in the region a route into Kickoff APAC.
Registrations are open now and close on November 13, 2026 at 12:00 PM, according to the announcement published on BLAST.tv on November 2.
The announcement describes the event as an extension of BLAST's global relationship with Riot Games to India through JioBLAST. It is the regional gateway to the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) for teams across South Asia.
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Dates And Format
The Open Qualifiers take place from November 17 to 20, 2026 in a Swiss stage format. The top eight teams then move to the Playoffs, which run from November 23 to 29, 2026 as an eight-team double-elimination bracket. Two teams will come out of the Playoffs and progress to Kickoff APAC.
Playoff matches will stream live on the official VALORANT and JioBLAST YouTube channels and on JioTV. Teams can register through the official form at jioblast.com/vctsakickoff, where the full tournament rules and eligibility criteria are also published.
Who Can Enter
Players must meet a minimum current rank of Ascendant 1, along with the age, residency and account requirements in the official rulebook. The format is open to both established teams and newer ones, so a first-time squad can face a well-known organisation in the same bracket.
That open door is part of how Riot has reshaped VCT for 2027. Under the partnership model that starts next season, each region has eight partnered teams rather than 10, and regions have been split further, according to VLR.gg's report on the partner reveals. Open qualifiers give everyone outside those partner slots a way to reach international play.
What The Organisers Said
Charlie Cowdrey, CEO of JioBLAST, said the future of esports depends on creating opportunities for emerging talent to compete and progress to the global stage. He described the partnership with Riot as a commitment to strengthening South Asia's competitive scene and giving teams a clear pathway.
Anushka Bhatnagar, Publishing Lead for Riot Games India and South Asia, said the VCT 2027 format makes VALORANT esports more accessible and creates opportunities for aspiring players across the region. She added that Riot was pleased to partner with JioBLAST to build the competitive ecosystem further.
Key Dates At A Glance
Registration closes on November 13, 2026 at 12:00 PM. The Swiss stage runs from November 17 to 20, and the eight-team Playoffs follow from November 23 to 29. The organisers encourage teams to register early and read the eligibility rules before submitting an application.
The first deadline is the registration cut-off on November 13, followed by the Swiss stage a few days later. Once the two Kickoff APAC qualifiers are known on November 29, the focus moves to how South Asian teams fare against the wider Asia-Pacific field. For more esports coverage, visit the Gambling.com news hub, or see our guide to betting sites if you follow VALORANT markets.
