Following internal challenges, ULF Esports was removed from the VCT EMEA circuit and replaced by Turkish organization Eternal Fire.
ULF Esports has been kicked out of VCT EMEA following reports of payment delays and unpaid staff. Eternal Fire will take their place in the tournament, signing four players previously under contract with ULF Esports.
ULF Esports removed from VCT EMEA
On March 20, the representatives of the VCT EMEA circuit announced the removal of ULF Esports. The regional officials have been informed of “operational challenges affecting the team and its ability to operate in line with league standards.” According to the latest rumors, ULF has been accused of payment delays and unpaid staff, but none have been confirmed. After international discussions, Riot Games terminated ULF’s participation in the circuit.
Eternal Fire will replace the Turkish organization and sign four of the former ULF players who competed in VCT EMEA. The organization will also field a secondary team in the VALORANT Challengers 2026 Türkiye: Birlik, assembling a new roster as their current lineup moves up to Tier 1 competition.
“Our priority following this decision was to ensure that the players – who earned their place in VCT EMEA through Ascension – were able to continue competing in the league,” the league representatives explained. “To enable this, we provided the roster with the option to sign with a new organisation of their choice and compete for the remainder of the 2026 season.”
Eternal Fire will compete in VCT 2026: EMEA Stage 1, taking over ULF Esports’ spot. They will begin in Group Omega, where they’ll face strong opponents including BBL Esports, Fnatic, Team Vitality, GIANTX, and PCIFIC Esports. Here is the updated roster:
- Soner “audaz” Ekiz
- Enes “Favian” Yiğiter
- Ömür Serkan “echo” Şenol
- Baran “Izzy” Yılmaz
- Anıl “nekky” Dağdeviren (in-game leader)
- Hakan “Afr0nfire” Pınarbaşı (head coach)
Eternal Fire enters Stage 1
Following the conclusion of VALORANT Masters Santiago, Stage 1 will begin across all four regions. VCT EMEA returns to the Berlin arena on April 1, bringing more high-level VALORANT action and exciting matches for fans.
The top three teams from the stage will secure their spots at VALORANT Masters London, scheduled for June 2026. You can watch all the games on the VCT EMEA official Twitch and YouTube channels.