ULF Esports removed from VCT EMEA as Eternal Fire takes over roster

Riot Games has officially announced that ULF Esports will be replaced by Eternal Fire for the remainder of the 2026 season. The reason: ULF has faced operational challenges and failed to meet league standards, leading to their removal from VCT EMEA.

Financial problems

For some time, rumors have circulated that ULF Esports has been dealing with financial issues across both its League of Legends and VALORANT operations. According to multiple sources, players and staff have not received a paycheck since ULF joined VCT EMEA.

Riot has now confirmed that it has been in contact with ULF and player representatives, and those discussions have resulted in the termination of ULF’s contract and participation in VCT EMEA.

Eternal Fire steps in

ULF was one of two organizations that won Ascension, earning a spot in VCT EMEA.

Since the ULF roster secured its place by winning VALORANT Champions Tour 2025 - Ascension EMEA, Riot prioritized ensuring that the players who earned their spot would be able to keep it. As a result, Riot gave the squad the option to sign with a new organization of their choice and continue competing for the remainder of the 2026 season.

That organization is Eternal Fire. Following an internal review, Riot has approved the team to join VCT EMEA, where it will sign four of the players previously under contract with ULF.

The Turkish org has been competing in Tier 2 VALORANT since 2021 and finished as runner-up behind BBL PCIFIC in VCL 2025 - EMEA Stage 1. They will also maintain a roster in VALORANT Challengers 2026: Türkiye Birlik, which will now operate as a secondary team.

Stage 1 on the horizon

With this change, fans will see Eternal Fire in VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - EMEA Stage 1 instead. They’ll compete in Group Omega, with their first match set for April 1 against Fnatic. With most of the former ULF roster intact, the biggest change heading into the 2026 season is the name on the jersey.

For more VCT news, stay tuned to THESPIKE.GG.

Featured image source: Wojciech Wandzel/Riot Games.