10 teams who were surprisingly not chosen as VCT 2023 partners: FPX, OpTic Gaming, The Guard, and more

Yesterday, Riot Games announced the final list of teams who made it to 2023's VCT Partnership Program for Valorant esports.

10 teams from each of the three regions will work alongside the officials to improve the quality of events and more. The chosen teams will remain in the program until 2028, following which Riot Games will possibly renew their decision.

Many fans rejoiced at their favorite teams getting into the program. However, the final list was pretty surprising, with some of the biggest esports organizations missing from it. The announcement triggered not only fans but also individual athletes who are now seeking to join a partnered team.

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10 teams who missed out on the opportunity to be a VCT partner in 2023

Only 10 teams from each region could get into the program, and North America and Europe house plenty of talented rosters; there wasn't enough space to accommodate everyone. That said, many couldn't decipher Riot's calculations behind the decision to exclude deserving Valorant teams.

Some teams who missed out on the partnership for 2023 are:

1. The Guard
2. OpTic Gaming
3. FaZe Clan
4. FunPlus Phoenix
5. Acend
6. G2 Esports
7. OG
8. Mad Lions
9. Ninjas in Pyjamas
10. TSM

The exclusion of teams like OpTic Gaming and FunPlus Phoenix has caused disappointment among many fans. However, Riot Games made it clear that past competitive performances weren't a key factor in making the decision. The official statement read:

"It’s worth addressing directly that while we respect and celebrate past competitive performance, it was not a key consideration in our decision - as we instead focused on an organization’s ability to create the most compelling VCT for fans in the future."

Individual athletes have the opportunity to join any partnered team featuring an opening and participate in international leagues.

VCT 2023 will start with a kickoff tournament in February, pitting 30 partnered teams against one another. This will be followed by an international League Split, a Masters event, Last Chance Qualifiers, and finally, the Valorant Champions 2023.

In the meantime, VCT will also host more than 20 regional leagues next year, allowing every deserving team to realize their esports dreams. Each regional league will culminate in a playoffs stage that will crown the best team from the region.

The Challengers will lead to Ascension tournaments that will crown the best team from each of the territories: Americas, Pacific, and EMEA. The winners of the Ascension tournaments will gain a chance to enter their respective international leagues.