VALORANT is officially returning to the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2027, marking the game's third consecutive appearance at the prestigious international esports tournament. The announcement confirms that Riot Games' popular tactical shooter will once again feature among the world's biggest competitive gaming titles, with top international teams competing for the coveted EWC trophy.
The 2027 edition will also be particularly interesting as the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) ecosystem prepares for a major structural overhaul, moving towards a more open competitive format.
Here's everything you need to know about VALORANT at the Esports World Cup 2027.
VALORANT Confirmed for Esports World Cup 2027
The Esports Foundation has confirmed that VALORANT will return for EWC 2027, joining the tournament lineup for the third year in a row.
The announcement highlights the game's growing importance within the international esports ecosystem. EWC 2027 will once again bring together leading esports organisations and players across multiple competitive titles, with VALORANT remaining one of its major attractions.
The tournament is scheduled to return in the summer of 2027, although specific dates for the VALORANT competition, its format, participating teams and prize pool have not yet been announced.
With the VALORANT competitive ecosystem entering a new era, the upcoming EWC edition could also introduce interesting changes to the way teams secure their places in the tournament.
100 Thieves Won VALORANT at Esports World Cup 2026
The 2026 edition delivered a memorable championship run, with North American organisation 100 Thieves emerging as the winners.
Despite struggling with consistency during previous international competitions, 100 Thieves produced an impressive undefeated run, winning every series on their way to lifting the trophy.
Their playoff campaign included victories against MIBR.LOS, Masters Santiago champions Nongshim RedForce and reigning world champions NRG.
The victory became a turning point for the organisation, which subsequently dominated VCT Americas Stage 2 and secured a top-three finish at Champions 2026.
100 Thieves will therefore enter the 2027 season as the most recent EWC VALORANT champions, although defending their title will be a significant challenge.
LOUD Among the Teams to Watch at EWC 2027
While 100 Thieves will be looking to defend their championship, LOUD are another organisation worth following in 2027.
The Brazilian organisation enjoyed a remarkable turnaround during the 2026 season. After struggling in the first half of the year, LOUD strengthened its roster with Enzo 'tkzin' Zimiani and Portuguese player David 'DaviH' Cruz.
The additions helped the team reach the VCT Americas Stage 2 Grand Final before producing an outstanding performance at Champions 2026 in Shanghai.
LOUD defeated several established organisations, including Paper Rex, NRG and Team Vitality, on their way to winning the championship.
The victory made LOUD the first and only organisation to win VALORANT Champions twice with entirely different rosters.
Other organisations to watch at EWC 2027 include NRG, 100 Thieves, Paper Rex, Team Liquid, Team Vitality and All Gamers.
How Will the New VCT 2027 Format Affect EWC?
One of the biggest talking points ahead of EWC 2027 is Riot Games' upcoming VCT restructuring.
The competitive ecosystem will move away from its traditional regional leagues of partnered teams towards a more open tournament-based structure.
Under the new system, teams will have more opportunities to compete through open qualification tournaments, while partnered organisations will no longer receive guaranteed places at higher levels of competition.
This could significantly influence roster building and qualification opportunities for the Esports World Cup.
Organisations outside the VCT partnership system may also have opportunities to identify talented open-qualifier teams and sign promising rosters ahead of major international competitions.
However, the exact VALORANT qualification format for EWC 2027 has not yet been revealed.
Final Thoughts
VALORANT's return to the Esports World Cup 2027 adds another major attraction to the upcoming international competition. With the VCT ecosystem undergoing significant changes and several organisations entering the new season with championship ambitions, the tournament could deliver another exciting battle for the EWC trophy.
More details regarding the competition format, participating teams, qualification process and prize pool are expected to be announced closer to the event.
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