Riot Games Opens Korea Qualifier for 2027 VCT Pacific Kickoff
The open qualifier will select one Korean team to join eight partner franchises in the regional Kickoff event.
Riot Games has opened applications for a Korean qualifier to select one team for the 2027 VALORANT Champions Tour Pacific Kickoff.
Applications will be accepted from October 2 to 18, with all matches in the Korea Open Qualifier to be held online on October 25 and 26, Riot Games said.
The top four teams from the open qualifier will advance to the playoffs, where they will be joined by four directly seeded teams: Kiwoom DRX, Nongshim RedForce (NS), VARREL (VL), and ONSIDE GAMING.
"Direct seeds were granted based on each team's recent performance and history," Riot Games said.
Kiwoom DRX, Nongshim RedForce, and VARREL competed in VCT Pacific, while ONSIDE GAMING won Challengers and previously participated in the 2026 VCT Pacific Play-In and Playoffs.
The playoffs will begin on October 30, with the final stage running from December 4 to 6 offline at WDG Studio Hongdae.
The Korean representative team for the Kickoff will be determined on December 6.
Eligibility for the open qualifier is open to players aged 17 or older who hold a rank of 'Ascendant 1' or higher, and at least three of the five starting roster members must reside in South Korea.
The newly introduced Kickoff Open Qualifier is a regional tournament designed to select teams for Kickoff.
One team each will advance from Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asia, while one team will earn a spot through a Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ) featuring the remaining regions.
Eight Pacific partner teams, including T1 and Gen.G (GEN), have been directly seeded into the 2027 VCT Pacific Kickoff.
Since 2024, VCT Kickoff has taken place every January to decide which teams advance to the first Masters event of the year.
It also serves as the stage where participating teams show their new rosters and strength for the first time.
VALORANT is a 5v5 character-based tactical PC shooter developed by Riot Games.
In restructuring its esports ecosystem in 2023, Riot Games established four international leagues, Pacific, Americas, EMEA, and CN, alongside a partnership-based franchise system.
The international leagues determine qualifying teams for Masters and Champions, while the lower-tier Challengers leagues operate across 23 regions globally.
The 2027 VCT season will feature events in 15 cities and conclude with the world championship in Austin, Texas.
