Movistar KOI is kicked out of VCT EMEA after contract breach

Riot Games has announced that they are terminating KOI’s partnership agreement with the VCT EMEA following a breach of the team’s contract with the league. All the players and staff on the VALORANT team will be free agents at the end of the season. Since the decision is strictly tied to the VCT EMEA, KOI will still be allowed to compete in other Riot esports leagues and competitions.

A new team will be selected to take over KOI’s spot in the VCT EMEA 2026 season. In their statement, Riot explained that the league will evaluate potential replacements and announce the chosen team to the community at a later date. The termination will not impact Ascension EMEA, which will continue to promote two teams, keeping the total number of teams in the 2026 season at 12.

KOI Responds to the Situation

KOI revealed that Riot reached out for an urgent meeting the day before the announcement. At first, KOI believed the meeting might be about memes and jokes they had posted on social media, potentially triggering complaints. However, the meeting turned out to be far more serious. KOI was informed that their participation in the VCT EMEA league was being terminated—effectively ending their VCT run overnight.

Shortly after the news, Movistar KOI founder Ibai Llanos posted a video on X expressing the organization’s frustration and disappointment.

Ibai acknowledged the need for self-criticism, admitting KOI hadn’t performed well in VCT, both in terms of competitive results and content output, as well as noting that skin sales were underwhelming. Given these factors, Riot decided to free up KOI’s slot and open it to another organization.

Criticism over Riot’s handling of the decision

While KOI understands the reasoning behind their removal, Ibai Llanos criticized Riot for not providing any prior warning that termination was being considered. According to him, Riot did not offer the organization a chance to present solutions in order to avoid being kicked out. Once the meeting took place, the decision was final.

Ibai also emphasized how difficult the timeline was. The meeting with Riot took place on Friday, September 5, and the public announcement was scheduled just one day later. This left KOI with little time to prepare a proper statement for their fans, adding unnecessary pressure to an already tense situation.

Speculation: Gentle Mates return?

Ibai speculated that the move might be tied to the relegation of Gentle Mates. He suggested that by removing KOI from the league, Riot may be making room for M8’s potential return to VCT EMEA.

While there’s no official confirmation, Ibai believes M8’s presence is important for Riot and that this may have influenced the decision.

What's Next for KOI?

Kirian "Yaba" Martínez had already been signed as KOI’s Head Coach for the 2026 season, and the organization had begun talks with potential players to build a new roster. With the termination, however, all staff and players will become free agents.

KOI’s academy team, KOI Fénix, will still compete in Challengers EMEA: Spain Rising, but the main KOI VALORANT team will not be participating in either VCT or Ascension in 2026.

For all things VALORANT-related, make sure to stay tuned to THESPIKE.GG as we continue to update you with the freshest game and esports news.

Featured image source: Alexandra Safronova/Riot Games.