KOI kicked from VCT EMEA 2026 – Riot cites contractual breach, Ibai questions motives

Riot Games has officially terminated Movistar KOI’s partnership agreement with the Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) EMEA, citing a breach of the team’s contractual obligations with the league. The announcement, released on September 6, immediately sent shockwaves through the community as Movistar KOI, one of Spain’s most recognizable organizations, lost its place in Riot’s VCT partnership system ecosystem. The developer’s official statement confirms the termination and outlines immediate consequences; however, KOI co-owner Ibai Llanos has stated that the decision was sudden and left no room for KOI to negotiate.

KOI kicked from VCT EMEA

According to Riot’s official statement, the breach was tied to obligations that the organization failed to meet during the 2025 season. While Riot has not disclosed specifics, reporting from The Esports Advocate and Sheep Esports points to issues surrounding co-streaming commitments. Reports suggest that KOI failed to properly use co-founder Ibai Llanos’ channels for Spanish-language coverage to fulfil necessary co-streaming hours, a contractual obligation unique to KOI, and a shift to another streamer did not suffice. These disputes, exacerbated by administrative complications following the merger of KOI, Movistar Riders, and MAD Lions, appear to have played a role in Riot’s decision to end the partnership.

The official statement also confirmed that all KOI players will become free agents at the end of the season. Although the VCT transfer window is currently closed, Riot has made an exception for KOI’s players, allowing them to be signed by other teams before the window reopens. The organization’s academy roster may continue to compete in Challengers Spain: Rising, while the main VCT slot will be reassigned to another team for the 2026 season. Riot also emphasized that this change does not affect Ascension EMEA.

Comments from Ibai and fellow co-owner Fernando Piquer indicate that KOI will now pull out of Valorant altogether.

Ibai Llanos Responds to KOI’s Removal

Ibai Llanos, KOI’s co-founder, responded in a video statement explaining that Riot delivered the termination with zero warning, just one day prior to the league’s public announcement. However, while he claims there was no warning before KOI’s removal, Sheep Esports‘ reporting sugests otherwise. Llanos explained that the organization had already begun preparing for 2026, even hiring a new coach and having been in collaboration with Riot on KOI’s 2026 bundle.

He also speculated that the timing of the decision may have been influenced by Riot’s desire to keep French organization Gentle Mates in the league. Gentle Mates, another team that struggled competitively in 2025, had raised questions about their own future after being relegated as an Ascension side. Their streamer-turned-org owner Lucas “Squeezie” Hauchard had been significantly more present in co-streams throughout the year than Ibai. The Spaniard speculated that Riot may have prioritized keeping M8s over KOI for 2026.

The organization’s CEO Adam Adamou also made a statement, saying, “Riot has decided that our time in VCT will end after the 2025 season. I don’t agree with their decision. We delivered everything in 2024, and for 2025 and 2026 our agreement required us to provide alternatives if we were unable to meet certain provisions. We did exactly that, offering strong alternatives at our own expense that I believed provided real value. Those alternatives performed well beyond my expectations.

“They were strong and committed. Riot ultimately decided those alternatives were not acceptable. The decision came suddenly, and I disagree with it. But let me be clear, Riot was fully within its rights under the agreement to make this call and to reject the alternatives. It is their game and their league.”

He went on to say that the removal was unrelated to KOI’s performance or content.

KOI’s Struggles in VCT EMEA

KOI’s departure comes after several disappointing seasons in VCT EMEA. Since entering the league in 2023, the organization has consistently failed to make deep playoff runs or qualify for international events. Those struggles continued in 2025.

Their inability to generate competitive results, paired with organizational instability, likely contributed to weakening their case for remaining a long-term partner in VCT EMEA.

Impact on KOI Players and VCT EMEA in 2026

• All players will become free agents at the end of the season, including those who were contracted beyond 2025: Dawid “Filu” Czarnecki, Xavier “flyuh” Carlson, previously inactive players Dom “soulcas” Sulcas and Ondřej “MONSTEERR” Petrů, and former head coach Harry “Gorilla” Mepham.
• Riot granted a special signing exemption, allowing new teams to pick up players from the roster before the transfer window officially reopens.
• Riot confirmed that a replacement team will be chosen for the 2026 VCT EMEA lineup, but Ascension promotion remains unchanged — two teams will still ascend from Challengers, keeping the league structure consistent.