Riot Games has officially ended its partnership with Movistar KOI due to a breach of contract. This decision affects the Spanish esports organization’s involvement in the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) EMEA. As a result of this termination, the players from KOI will become free agents once the current season wraps up. The implications of this change could significantly impact the team’s future and roster dynamics.
Riot Games Terminates Contract With Movistar KOI — What Will Happen To The Team In VCT 2025
Riot Games has announced that it has terminated its partnership with KOI due to serious breaches of contractual obligations. The decision came as a surprise to fans, but problems within the organization had been building for a long time.
While official comments are minimal, sources close to the league report that two key factors influenced the decision:
- The team’s poor results – a series of losses in the current VCT season has significantly lowered KOI’s rating.
- Management issues – conflicts within the organization and financial difficulties have negatively affected the fulfillment of obligations to the league.
- These factors together led to Riot Games’ tough decision.
After the end of the current season, all KOI players will become free agents. Although the VCT transfer window is currently closed, there is a special exception rule that allows temporary contracts to be signed with teams that urgently need replacements.
This opens up new prospects for esports players: many teams are already showing interest in signing former KOI players.
What will happen next with the KOI team
The fate of the organization remains in question. Possible scenarios:
- Sale of the VCT slot – KOI may try to sell its slot to another organization.
- Complete restructuring – changes in management and the formation of a new roster.
- Leaving the league is the least likely, but possible option if the management does not find investors.
The termination of KOI’s contract may change the balance of power in the Valorant Champions Tour 2025. The emergence of free players can affect the transfer market and increase competition in the upcoming season.
Riot Games has made the decision to terminate its partnership with Movistar KOI in the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) EMEA due to the team’s violation of the league’s contractual obligations.
As a result of this decision, the players from Movistar KOI will become free agents at the conclusion of the current season. Although the VCT transfer window is closed at this time, there will be an exception in place that allows players who have been released from their teams to sign with new ones for a limited period. This exception will remain effective until the next transfer window opens.
It’s essential to highlight that this decision pertains solely to VCT EMEA and does not impact Movistar KOI’s participation in other leagues or tournaments organized by Riot Games. This also includes Movistar KOI Fénix, which will continue to compete in the Challengers EMEA Spain: Rising tournament.
Looking ahead to 2026, a new team will take over the spot currently held by Movistar KOI. The league is in the process of evaluating potential candidates and will announce its decision to the community in due course. Importantly, this change will not affect the Ascension EMEA, as two teams will still be promoted, maintaining the league’s structure at 12 teams for the upcoming 2026 season.
Riot Games
Spanish esports organization Movistar KOI is going through perhaps one of the most difficult periods in its history. Since its debut on the VALORANT stage in 2023, the team has managed to win the hearts of thousands of fans, but the current VCT EMEA season has proven to be a real test for them.
High activity, the team’s performance has sharply decreased: several unsuccessful performances in a row led the team to the very bottom of the standings. The decline not only managed to hit the club’s positions, but also forced the management to think about a complete restructuring.
In response to a series of defeats, the organization made a difficult but necessary decision – to part with a number of main roster players. The goal is to restart the team, restore its fighting spirit and create a solid foundation for future victories.
The new head coach, Kyrian “Yaba” Martinez, is responsible for the main changes. His vision is simple and ambitious: to create a team that will fight for top positions and restore the fans’ faith in the success of Movistar KOI
However, no matter how hard the organization tried, Riot Games’ decision remained unchanged. Due to low results and position in the ranking, the club still did not receive additional chances to keep its current slot on the VCT EMEA stage.
It was a serious blow to the plans of the organization, which, despite active personnel changes, is forced to revise its development strategy and look for new ways to return to the top.
The future of Movistar KOI: a new path
Currently, the team’s future looks like a clean slate. The management of Movistar KOI is focused on:
- strengthening the training process;
- searching for talented players for the new roster;
- adapting the strategy to the changed meta of VALORANT;
- working on team synergy and mental stability.
The fans continue to believe that the club can regain its place among the strongest teams in Europe. The coming months will be decisive for the new era of Movistar KOI.
