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JioBLAST to Host VCT 2027 Kickoff Open Qualifiers in South Asia

Riot Games and JioBLAST will run the season-opening South Asia pathway to Kickoff APAC, with registrations closing on November 13.

By , Sports writer

· 1 min read

Esports, general photo
Esports (general photo, not from this event) Photo: kajetanwz / Pixabay, Pixabay Content License

JioBLAST and Riot Games will stage the VCT 2027 Kickoff Open Qualifiers in South Asia from November 17 to 29. Two teams will advance to Kickoff APAC through a Swiss stage and double-elimination playoffs.

Key takeaways

  • The Open Qualifiers run from November 17 to 20 in a Swiss-stage format, TalkEsport reported
  • The top eight teams reach the Playoffs, which run from November 23 to 29 in a double-elimination bracket
  • Two teams will progress to Kickoff APAC as part of the season-opening pathway for the 2027 VALORANT Champions Tour
  • Registrations close on November 13 at midnight at jioblast.com/vctsakickoff
  • Players must hold a minimum current rank of Ascendant 1

Riot Games has partnered with JioBLAST to stage the VCT 2027 Kickoff Open Qualifiers in South Asia, TalkEsport reported. The announcement came from Mumbai on November 3.

The competition gives teams from the region a route to Kickoff APAC, with two teams set to earn places at the season-opening pathway for the 2027 VALORANT Champions Tour. com/vctsakickoff.

All participating players must hold a minimum current rank of Ascendant 1 and meet age, residency, account and other eligibility requirements specified in the official tournament rules.

Format and schedule

The Open Qualifiers run from November 17 to 20 in a Swiss-stage format. The top eight teams advance to the Playoffs. The Playoffs take place from November 23 to 29 in a double-elimination bracket. The two teams that come through will advance to Kickoff APAC. The tournament is scheduled from November 17 to 29 overall.

Partnership and context

For JioBLAST, the tournament forms part of its efforts to strengthen South Asia’s competitive esports ecosystem by providing opportunities for emerging talent to compete alongside established teams and qualify for international competition.

Charlie Cowdrey, CEO of JioBLAST, said: “At JioBLAST, we believe the future of esports depends on creating meaningful opportunities for emerging talent to compete, prove themselves and progress to the global stage.

It is a great sign to see BLAST’s global relationship with Riot Games extending to India through JioBLAST and it reflects our commitment to strengthening South Asia’s competitive ecosystem and giving teams a clear pathway to pursue their ambitions.

” Anushka Bhatnagar, Publishing Lead for Riot Games India and South Asia, said: “The VCT 2027 competitive format marks an exciting step forward in making VALORANT Esports more accessible and creating meaningful opportunities for aspiring players across South Asia. ”

Where to watch

The Playoffs will be streamed live on the official JioBLAST and VALORANT YouTube channels, as well as JioTV. Further updates will be shared through the official JioBLAST and VALORANT Esports channels.

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