Riot Removes Team from VCT & LoL: What Happened?

In a landmark decision shaking the foundations of competitive play, Riot Games has removed a prominent organization from its professional Valorant and League of Legends leagues, effective immediately. The unprecedented move, confirmed via an official statement on Riot’s esports portal, terminates the team’s franchise partnership in both the Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) and the League of Legends Championship Series (LCS). This article breaks down the official reasons behind the expulsion, the immediate impact on the competitive ecosystem, and what this means for the players left in the lurch.

Riot Cites “Serious Breach of Partnership Agreements”

The developer’s ruling was not made lightly. According to the official competitive ruling statement released by Riot Games, the organization was found to be in violation of several core tenets of the franchise agreement. While the full details remain confidential, the public statement highlighted critical failures that compromised the league’s integrity. The primary reasons cited for the immediate termination include:

• Financial Instability: Failure to meet payroll obligations for players and staff for over two consecutive months, violating league financial viability requirements.
• Contractual Misconduct: Evidence of misleading contractual promises made to players, which did not align with the terms submitted to and approved by the league.
• Lack of Cooperation: The organization reportedly failed to cooperate with a league investigation initiated over 60 days ago regarding these issues.

This decision underscores Riot’s commitment to maintaining a stable and professional environment for its partnered teams, a standard they are clearly willing to enforce with the harshest penalties.

The Ripple Effect on VCT and Player Futures

For Valorant, this creates a power vacuum. The now-vacant slot in the VCT Americas league throws the upcoming season’s structure into question. Analysts speculate Riot may either promote a top-performing team from the Challengers league or open a highly competitive bidding process for a new franchise partner. The immediate concern, however, is for the roster of five professional players and their coaching staff, who are now free agents just weeks before the transfer window closes. Their collective buyout clauses are voided, but finding a new home for an entire roster at this stage is a monumental challenge, potentially breaking up a team with proven synergy.

What This Means for the Competitive Scene

The expulsion sends a clear message to all franchised organizations: Riot’s oversight is absolute. For players grinding the ranked ladder from Iron to Radiant, this is a stark reminder of the razor-thin margins and immense pressures that define the professional tier. It highlights that success isn’t just about in-game performance but also about the robust, reliable infrastructure supporting the players. This incident will undoubtedly force other organizations to re-evaluate their own financial and operational health, ensuring they remain in good standing. The integrity of the sport, from Riot’s perspective, is non-negotiable, and this ruling is the ultimate proof.

From Pro Rulings to Your Ranked Games

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The Same Technical Advantage as VCT Pros

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Published by automated system on November 23, 2025 at 8:01 PM