Riot announces major changes to VCT transfer rules

Riot has released the roster construction rules for the 2024 Valorant Champions Tour, bringing substantial changes to the way player transfers will be handled next year.

In a document published on September 6, Riot stated that the 2024 VCT transfer window will open on September 11 and close on July 15. During this period, teams will be able to sign players and make changes to their roster.

This is a huge departure from the 2023 transfer window, which closed on February 1, approximately two weeks before the start of the first tournament of the season, VCT LOCK//IN. There was also a mid-season transfer window between March 6-25 to give teams the chance to fine-tune their rosters after LOCK//IN.

With the transfer window running almost until Valorant Champions, teams will be able to make changes based on how the season is going, which should elevate the level of play and avoid the existence of “dead teams”. In the 2023 season, VCT EMEA team Karmine Corp notably had to compete with a coach after a player abandoned the team midway through the season because it could no longer bring in new players.

Meanwhile, Riot has softened the VCT’s roster size regulations, with teams now required to have a minimum roster of five players, down from six in 2023. At the same time, the reserve roster can now hold up to five players, one more than this year.

The reserve roster features players who do not meet the qualifications to be part of the active roster. This includes players who do not meet the minimum age requirements and players who are serving a suspension, as well as loaned and two-way players.

The introduction of two-way players is one of the biggest changes to the 2024 roster construction rules. These players are who are eligible to compete for a VCT team and for a secondary, affiliated team. VCT teams can have up to two designated two-way players on their full roster.

Riot protects players with safe harbor

Riot is also instituting what it described as a “safe harbor”, a 14-day window for players released from VCT teams to find another team. Even if a player is released outside of the transfer window, they will be given 14 days to sign with another VCT team, as long as it does not override the active roster lock of any international competition.

The 2024 season will officially begin on February 1 and end on October 7. There will be three global events (VCT Masters Madrid, VCT Masters Shanghai, and Valorant Champions), each with an active roster lock. During this period, the teams qualified for these events are unable to add players to their active roster or move players from the reserve roster to the active roster.

Below is the active roster lock period for the three global VCT events:

• VCT Masters Madrid: March 8-March 24
• VCT Masters Shanghai: May 17-June 9
• Valorant Champions: July 26-August 25

Keep track of all the changes in the Valorant scene with our off-season rostermania tracker.