VCT EMEA partners with Movember to champion mental health in esports

Riot Games EMEA Esports division has announced a major new partnership with Movember, the leading global men’s health charity, to promote mental health and wellbeing across its competitions, including the VCT EMEA, LEC, and Game Changers EMEA Championship. Starting in the 2026 season, Movember will serve as the Official Mental Health Partner for both VCT and LEC, with the collaboration extending through 2027.

The partnership aims to integrate long-term mental health frameworks and resources into the esports ecosystem, supporting professional players, coaching staff, and the broader community.

Building a Healthier Competitive Environment

Under this initiative, Movember will provide teams with access to proven mental health tools designed to help manage competitive stress, develop healthier habits, and create open conversations around emotional wellbeing. Planned initiatives include mental health training workshops, stress management sessions, and player-only roundtables devoted to sharing coping strategies. Insights from these sessions will later form part of community-facing content designed to support fans and amateur players.

The collaboration also extends to esports broadcasts and live events, where Movember will share tailored messaging to raise awareness, combat stigma, and encourage fans to seek help when facing mental health challenges.

Speaking about the partnership, Daniel Ringland, Head of VALORANT Esports EMEA, said:

“Supporting the wellbeing of the VCT EMEA community, our players, and team staff is something we are committed to strengthening, so we’re thrilled to welcome Movember as a partner... this partnership also helps raise awareness around mental health and wellbeing across the wider VCT EMEA community... so everyone connected to our ecosystem feels supported by professionals committed to making a positive impact.”

Embedding Mental Health into Esports Culture

For Riot Games, this collaboration reflects a growing industrywide commitment to safeguarding the mental health of its talent and community. Maximilian Peter Schmidt, Director of League of Legends Esports EMEA, emphasized the importance of empowering players to speak openly about challenges both on and off the stage:

“We want our community to feel empowered to speak openly about the challenges they face and know resources are available if needed. Gaming should be a safe and healthy space for everyone.”

Movember’s Expanding Esports Mission

This partnership builds on Movember’s ongoing work in gaming and esports, where the organization sees an opportunity to reach younger audiences in meaningful ways. Dan Cooper, Global Director of Innovations at Movember, explained:

“Esports is a focus area for our work in mental health, and by working with Riot Games we aim to have a real impact and drive positive change in esports.”

Since its founding in 2003, Movember has raised over AUD $1.3 billion and funded more than 1,300 men’s health projects worldwide. The charity’s recent initiatives include developing the world’s first Esports Mental Health Guidelines and creating interactive resources to help gamers build healthier emotional habits.

A Shared Vision for Positive Change

Together, Riot Games and Movember are setting a new standard for mental health advocacy in competitive gaming. Their shared vision is clear: to make the EMEA esports ecosystem not only more competitive but also healthier, safer, and more supportive for everyone involved — from players to fans.

Learn more about this initiative at valorantesports.com and lolesports.com.

For all things VCT-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: Riot Games