Singapore’s own Paper Rex has secured one of only eight partnered team slots in VCT Pacific (the VALORANT Champions Tour’s Asia-Pacific league) for 2027 and beyond. Riot says the partnerships run on two-year renewable cycles. The full list is out now.
Quick Guide for Singapore Fans
| Our team | Paper Rex, partnered through at least the 2027 to 2028 seasons |
| First event | Kickoff in Bangkok (partners qualify directly) |
| Cup 1 | Manila, 29 April to 23 May 2027 |
| Cup 2 | Tokyo, 5 to 29 August 2027 |
| Not announced yet | Venues, tickets and streaming channels |
All dates and cities are Riot’s current plans and could change.
Who Got a Seat
The eight partnered organisations are:
- Crazy Raccoon (Japan)
- FULL SENSE (Thailand)
- GAM Esports (Vietnam)
- Gen.G (South Korea)
- Paper Rex (Singapore)
- Rex Regum Qeon, better known as RRQ (Indonesia)
- T1 (South Korea)
- ZETA DIVISION (Japan)
Riot’s own VCT 2027 announcement says the partnerships run on two-year renewable cycles, so this first term covers the 2027 to 2028 seasons.
Eight is a smaller club than before. Community site VLR.gg reports that the previous format had 10 partnered teams. Some familiar names are gone as a result. Philstar reports that Philippine-flavoured Global Esports is among those leaving, and DRX is missing from the list too.
Wins Weren’t the Deciding Factor
According to Riot’s announcement, applicants were judged on four areas:
- Values: putting fans first, celebrating a diverse community, and supporting pros
- Fan connection: engaging content, a compelling brand, and an exciting roster
- Long-term building: a focus on sustainability
- Home-region pull: the ability to activate their home regions and rally local communities
Among the teams that missed out is Nongshim RedForce. The Korean side won Masters Santiago in 2026 and still didn’t get a slot. Strafe reports that Nongshim CEO Evans Oh called the evaluation rigorous and fair, said the organisation respected Riot’s decision, and confirmed Nongshim will stay in competitive VALORANT.
Six countries are now represented.
Crazy Raccoon, FULL SENSE and GAM Esports
Crazy Raccoon, FULL SENSE and GAM Esports are among the eight organisations on the list. Riot says some of the eight are returning favourites and others are new additions.
Crazy Raccoon, founded in Japan in 2018, was one of Japan’s early VALORANT representatives on the world stage. It played for Japan at Masters Reykjavík, Masters Berlin and VALORANT Champions 2021. Riot’s release calls it an important ambassador for Japan within VCT Pacific.
FULL SENSE is the Thai pick. It was founded in 2020, built its identity on developing local talent, and broke through in 2021 by fighting its way to VALORANT Champions. GAM Esports, founded in 2014, is one of Vietnam’s most established organisations, and its flagship League of Legends team has been a dominant force there. Riot’s release describes its VALORANT team as relatively newer.
The Familiar Five
The returning partners all bring silverware. Gen.G won Pacific Kickoff in 2024, then delivered Pacific’s first international VCT trophy at Masters Shanghai that same year. T1, which joined VCT Pacific as a partner in 2023, took the trophy at Masters Bangkok 2025.
RRQ won VCT Pacific Stage 1 in 2025, its first VCT trophy, and went to Masters Toronto as Pacific’s top seed. ZETA DIVISION has been a partner since 2023, the year it qualified for Champions Los Angeles.
And then there’s Paper Rex. The Singapore organisation, founded in 2020, won the inaugural VCT Pacific league in 2023 and took its first international trophy at Masters Toronto 2025. For local fans, it means Paper Rex stays in VCT Pacific for the 2027 to 2028 term.
What 2027 Looks Like
Riot has announced a tournament-first format for 2027:
1. Opens and Kickoff events come first. Partnered teams qualify directly for Kickoff, where four open-qualifier teams join them for a 12-team field.
2. Regional Cups follow, with advancement based on results.
3. Masters events and Champions sit at the top.
Beyond Kickoff, advancement is based on results.
What Comes Next
Riot says open qualifiers remain part of the 2027 format, with four open-qualifier teams joining the partnered teams at Kickoff.
Venues, tickets and streaming channels have not been announced yet. Riot’s current calendar lists Kickoff in Bangkok, with Cup 1 in Manila starting on 29 April 2027.
Visuals courtesy of Riot Games.
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