VALORANT Reportedly Out Of Esports World Cup Due To Scheduling Conflicts
The upcoming Esports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is set to feature over 20 of the biggest games across the globe, but according to a report from Esports Advocate, Riot Games’ VALORANT won’t be one of them.
The Esports World Cup, which will run for eight weeks from the start of July to the end of August, currently clashes with the schedule of the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) 2024 schedule. Due to the lack of flexibility in the VCT schedule, professional players are unable to take part in both events.
Riot Games’ other titles, League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics, will still be part of the competition. League of Legends is scheduled for week one, and Teamfight Tactics is scheduled for week six.
Esports Advocate reports that Riot Games has a one year contract with the Esports World Cup Foundation for Teamfight Tactics and League of Legends, but that they are waiting to see how the games perform at the World Cup before they consider extending the contract. Reportedly no decisions have been made on VALORANT joining the Esports World Cup in the future.
Both Riot Games and the participating organisations have faced criticism for participating in an event funded by the Saudi Arabian government, which known for its human rights violations. Riot previously cancelled a partnership with the Saudi-backed NEOM project due to backlash.
Despite the potential absence of VALORANT, fans can still look forward to intense competition across multiple games at the Esports World Cup, which promises to be a landmark event in the esports world.
