Riot reworked its Community Competition Guidelines for the 2027 era, and the changes mostly favour organizers: one global license, no caps on the money side, and a visibility form instead of an approval queue. The flip side is a clear set of lines you still cannot cross. This is the plain-language can-and-can't list.
It is a summary, not legal advice. Read Riot's official Community Competition Guidelines before you run anything, because they are the source of truth and they change.
What you can do
- Run under one community license. Tiered licensing is gone. A single community competition license covers supported regions.
- Charge entry fees and build a prize pool. The caps on entry fees, prize pools, sponsorship revenue, and spectator fees were removed. Set them where your event is sustainable.
- Operate without waiting for approval. In most cases you file a short visibility form so Riot can see where and when events happen, then run. The form is about visibility, not permission.
- Take sponsorship. Sponsors are allowed, including a "presenting partner," as long as the category is permitted and the sponsor is not part of the competition's name.
- Use VALORANT assets to promote the competition itself, and stream on any platform, including paid spectator streams.
What you can't do
- Imply Riot runs or endorses your event. No Riot Games logos in marketing, and no suggestion that Riot operates, endorses, or sponsors it.
- Use official event branding. No "Masters" or "Champions" naming. Where required, call it a community tournament or community competition.
- Broadcast on linear television. Streaming is fine on any platform; linear TV is not.
- Name the event after a sponsor. A sponsor can present or support, but the competition's name is not for sale.
- Mishandle prize money or mislead participants. Bad-faith handling of fees or prizes is exactly what gets an event shut down.
Off-limits sponsor categories
Even with the revenue caps gone, some sponsor categories are not allowed:
Who is not covered
The community guidelines cover most online and offline events at nearly any scale, open or invitational. A few categories fall outside them and need a separate agreement with Riot:
- Government entities.
- Professional VALORANT teams and players operating under separate programs.
- Streaming, broadcast, and media platforms.
- Corporate brands that are not established tournament organizers.
If you are a community organizer, a creator, or a small org running events in good faith, you are almost certainly in scope. For the full end-to-end walkthrough, see how to run a VALORANT community tournament. When you are ready, you can run a compliant event on Ascend, under your own org's brand.
Sources
Frequently asked
Can I charge entry fees for a VALORANT community tournament in 2027?
Yes. Riot removed the caps on entry fees, prize pools, sponsorship revenue, and spectator fees for community competitions. Set them at a level that keeps your event sustainable, be transparent about the prize pool, and handle any money responsibly.
Do I need Riot's approval to run a community tournament?
In most cases, no. You operate under a single community competition license and file a short visibility form so Riot can see where and when events happen. Some categories (government entities, pro teams under separate programs, media/broadcast platforms, and corporate brands that aren't established organizers) still need a separate agreement with Riot.
What can't I call my VALORANT tournament?
You can't use official event branding like 'Masters' or 'Champions,' can't use Riot Games logos in marketing, and can't imply Riot operates, endorses, or sponsors the event. Where required, identify it as a community tournament or community competition.
Which sponsors are banned for community tournaments?
Gambling/sportsbooks/casinos, fantasy esports, prescription or non-OTC drugs (including CBD), firearms and weapons, adult content, tobacco, alcohol, crypto/NFTs and unregulated financial instruments, counterfeit-item marketplaces, political campaigns/PACs, and partisan or non-reputable charities. A sponsor can present or support but can't be part of the event's name.
