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Riot Games has locked in the dates for VALORANT Act 5’s Premier event, and if you’ve ever dreamed about taking your in-game skills to the big stage, this is your shot. Running from 27 August through 12 October 2025, Premier is back for another season, and it’s once again giving everyday players a real pathway into the professional VALORANT scene.

For those who might be new, Premier is essentially VALORANT’s built-in tournament mode. Teams of mates can squad up, battle it out each week, and work their way through the divisions. Do well enough, and you could actually end up in the Challengers circuit, which feeds directly into the global VCT. In other words, it’s not just bragging rights on the line.

The Act 5 Premier Schedule

This season of Premier will span seven weeks, with each one tied to a specific map before everything wraps up in a single-day playoff.

Here’s the full breakdown:

  • Week 1: Haven – 27 to 31 August
  • Week 2: Corrode – 3 to 7 September
  • Week 3: Lotus – 10 to 14 September
  • Week 4: Ascent – 17 to 21 September
  • Week 5: Sunset – 24 to 28 September
  • Week 6: Bind – 1 to 5 October
  • Week 7: Abyss – 8 to 11 October
  • Playoffs: 12 October

If you’ve been keeping up with patch 11.04, you’ll notice a few changes coming into play here. Icebox has been rotated out for Abyss, and some agents have had their balance shifted, so the meta is definitely going to feel fresh.

How Premier Works

Premier splits teams into 22 divisions, ranging from the beginner-friendly Open 1–5 all the way up to Invite, the highest tier. Each week, teams can play up to two best-of-one matches per map, with standings resetting every Tuesday.

Qualifying for playoffs depends on where you’re sitting:

  • Open to Elite: rack up 600 Premier Score.
  • Contender to Invite: finish at the top of the weekly standings.

From there, the real stakes kick in. The top squads in Contenders and Invite get a shot at qualifying for VALORANT Challengers. Specifically:

  • The top two Contenders teams secure direct qualifications.
  • Invite playoff winners also move up to Challengers.

It’s as close as you’ll get to a “pro try-out” built straight into the game.

Rewards and Requirements

Even if you’re not chasing a pro career, Premier still dishes out some neat goodies. Everyone who joins in gets an exclusive player card, while playoff winners walk away with a unique title and gun buddy.

To play, though, there are a few boxes to tick:

  • Your account needs to be in good standing (no bans or restrictions).
  • You’ll need to verify your identity via SMS.
  • At least one ranked placement match must be completed at some point on your account.
  • Squads should be made up of five to seven players.

It’s pretty simple, get your mates, lock in your phones, and you’re good to go.

So, round up your squad, mark your calendars, and get ready to grind it out. This could be the season where your name starts to mean something in VALORANT.