Demo article for the VCT Americas 2027 Open Ecosystem. Details are illustrative.
How qualification works
Each Open Qualifier advances its top finishers toward Riot's next stage: the Closed Qualifier (first window of each stage), the Cup Qualifier (second window), or the Kickoff Qualifier.
How many teams advance depends on your circuit and the event. The tournament page always shows the number for your bracket.
The last Open Qualifier in each window fills the remaining slots, so its advancing count is confirmed once returning teams from Riot's stages are known. Finishers are ranked in order, and Riot takes the top teams from that order.
After you qualify
Your result is verified after the post-event review window closes.
Each advancing player completes a player information sheet; your captain receives the request.
The verified list of advancing teams is delivered to Riot on the Tuesday after the window's final Open Qualifier, and Riot takes over communication for its stage.
Successors
If a qualified team cannot participate, the vacated slot passes to the next team in the published finishing order. Keep your contact details current, as successor offers are time-limited.
Already qualified?
Teams that have qualified from an Open Qualifier window cannot enter the remaining Open Qualifiers in that window. Teams eliminated from Riot's Closed Qualifier may enter the next window's Open Qualifiers.