Riot Games' VCT China league, operated by TJ Sports, has named eight partner organizations for the 2027–2028 cycle. The league cut its partner roster from 10 to eight, and Riot is shrinking partner lists in all four regions.
Six partners were renewed: EDward Gaming (EDG), JD Gaming (JDG), Bilibili Gaming (BLG), TYLOO, All Gamers and Trace Esports. Xi Lai Gaming (XLG) moves up from visitor team to partner. Weibo Gaming (WBG) joins the league without a VCT CN slot in the 2026 season.
FunPlus Phoenix (FPX), Wolves Esports, Nova Esports and Titan Esports Club (TEC) lose partner status. Dragon Ranger Gaming (DRG), a visitor team, was not selected.
People close to TJ Sports told The Esports Advocate that the selection prioritized financial commitment and the resources of parent platforms. Those resources include contractual guarantees for celebrity activations and traffic support from Weibo, Bilibili and JD.com. The source excerpt does not confirm these terms in a public statement from TJ Sports.
In WBG's announcement video, Yang Xin, general manager of the Weibo Esports Club, called VALORANT an important part of Weibo's long-term plans. He said the club was prepared for sustained investment and would prioritize training, team building and player welfare. WBG previously competed in the VALORANT China National Tournament (VCNT).
The roster change comes with a broader overhaul of the circuit. VCT 2027 replaces regional leagues with a tournament structure of Open Qualifiers, Kickoff, Cups, Masters and Champions. Non-partner teams that qualify will receive fixed payments of $100,000 for a Kickoff or Cup, $200,000 for Masters and $400,000 for Champions, according to Riot's June announcement.
VCT CN's 2027 schedule includes three domestic events: Kickoff in Hangzhou from Jan. 14 to Feb. 7, Cup 1 in Wuhan from April 29 to May 23, and Cup 2 in Shanghai from Aug. 5 to 29. The season opens with Masters Seoul from Feb. 20 to March 3 and ends with Champions in Austin, Texas, from Sept. 16 to Oct. 10.