Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 4 (ANI): Riot Games has partnered with JioBLAST to organise the VCT 2027 Kickoff Open Qualifiers in South Asia, through which teams from the region will compete for two places at Kickoff APAC.
The tournament is scheduled to take place from November 17 to 29, with the deadline for team entries set for November 13. Teams will compete through an Open Qualifier and Playoff stage, with the two qualifying teams advancing to Kickoff APAC.
The Open Qualifiers will be held from November 17 to 20 in a Swiss-stage format, with the top eight teams progressing to the Playoffs. Scheduled from November 23 to 29, the Playoffs will follow a double-elimination format to determine the two teams that qualify for Kickoff APAC.
The tournament forms part of the season-opening competitive pathway for the 2027 VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT), bringing together teams from across South Asia, including emerging and established competitors, as per a press release.
Charlie Cowdrey, CEO of JioBLAST, said, “At JioBLAST, we believe the future of esports depends on creating meaningful opportunities for emerging talent to compete, prove themselves and progress to the global stage.
“It is a great sign to see BLAST’s global relationship with Riot Games extending to India through JioBLAST and it reflects our commitment to strengthening South Asia’s competitive ecosystem and giving teams a clear pathway to pursue their ambitions. We look forward to seeing the region’s best talent step up, compete and seize this opportunity to make their mark.”
Anushka Bhatnagar, Publishing Lead for Riot Games India and South Asia, said, “The VCT 2027 competitive format marks an exciting step forward in making VALORANT Esports more accessible and creating meaningful opportunities for aspiring players across South Asia.
“We’re pleased to partner with JioBLAST to bring this opportunity to the region and continue building the competitive ecosystem for VALORANT in South Asia.”
Teams can submit their entries until November 13 at jioblast.com/vctsakickoff. Participating players must hold a minimum current rank of Ascendant 1 and meet the age, residency, account and other eligibility requirements outlined in the official tournament rules. (ANI)
The Playoffs will be streamed on the official JioBLAST and VALORANT YouTube channels, as well as on JioTV. Further tournament information and updates will be available through the official JioBLAST and VALORANT Esports channels. (ANI)
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