Riot Games has announced that the Turkish esports organization Eternal Fire will join the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) EMEA until the end of the 2026 season, replacing ULF Esports.
This decision follows ULF’s withdrawal from the league due to “publicly reported operational issues,” including long-term failure to pay salaries to players and staff since joining the league.
Eternal Fire have been granted permission to sign four players from the former ULF main roster. The coaching staff is also expected to move to the new organization.
In a separate public statement, ULF Esports explained that the suspension of its VALORANT operations was caused by a combination of internal financial difficulties and broader “financial issues currently affecting the esports ecosystem.”
The organization, which rose from VALORANT Premier to the Ascension championship, called the withdrawal a necessary step to protect players and staff from “further hardship.”
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