Manila to host Valorant Champions Tour Pacific Cup next year

MANILA, Philippines — Manila will once again take center stage in the global Valorant scene after Riot Games announced that the Philippine capital will host the inaugural VCT Pacific Cup from April 29 to May 23, with teams competing for spots at Masters Valencia.

The tournament is part of the revamped Valorant Champions Tour 2027. The revamped season will span 15 cities worldwide and feature more than 50 tournaments across Opens, Cups, Masters and Champions. The Cup tournament replaces the previous VCT Pacific Stages during the franchise era that was mostly held in Seoul, South Korea, and had road shows during the finals weekend.

For Filipino fans, the announcement brings one of the region's premier Valorant events to a country that has long been one of the game's strongest markets and most passionate fanbases.

The Manila event, however, arrives alongside significant changes to the competitive landscape for Philippine teams.

Beginning in 2027, VCT Pacific will be divided into dedicated regional competitions for South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam. The Philippines, meanwhile, has been grouped into the Pacific Wild Card region alongside Malaysia, Singapore and the rest of Southeast Asia.

The change means Filipino organizations will no longer have a standalone regional pathway and must compete through the broader Wild Card system to advance further into the VCT ecosystem. South Asia and Oceania will also qualify through the same route.

The new structure marks a departure from previous Valorant ecosystems, where Philippine teams advanced through local competitions before earning opportunities in regional and international events. While Riot Games has emphasized a more open qualification system that allows teams to earn their place through results, Filipino organizations now face a more crowded road toward events such as Masters and Champions.

Despite the tougher qualification path, the Philippines enters the new era with a rich competitive history and a growing list of international achievements.

Among the country's most accomplished players is Patrick "PatMen" Mendoza, who has established himself as one of the Philippines' most successful Valorant exports after winning Masters Toronto and claiming VCT Pacific Stage 2 titles with both Paper Rex and Global Esports.

Filipino representation has also remained strong through players such as Xavier "xavi8k" Juan and Adrian Jiggs "invy" Reyes, both of whom have lifted VCT Pacific trophies while competing at the highest levels of regional and international Valorant competition.

The country's success also predates the partnership era. Bren Esports emerged as one of the Philippines' pioneering Valorant teams during the game's early years, helping establish the country as a regional contender.

The roster's acquisition by Team Secret helped carry that momentum forward, with the Filipino core becoming a fixture in international competition and producing one of the country's most memorable results with a playoff appearance at Valorant Champions 2022.