{"id":2869,"date":"2026-04-29T09:10:58","date_gmt":"2026-04-29T06:10:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/?p=2869"},"modified":"2026-04-29T09:12:17","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T06:12:17","slug":"omoda-valorant-vct-emea-first-automotive-partner-2028","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/omoda-valorant-vct-emea-first-automotive-partner-2028\/","title":{"rendered":"OMODA Becomes VCT EMEA’s First Automotive Partner in Multi-Year Deal Through 2028"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Chinese automotive brand OMODA has signed a multi-year deal with Riot Games to become the first official automotive partner of VCT EMEA and Game Changers EMEA through 2028. The partnership includes broadcast integrations, live event activations, and MVP award sponsorship.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

OMODA has become the first official automotive partner of VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) EMEA and Game Changers EMEA. The Chery Automobile subsidiary signed a multi-year Main Partner agreement with Riot Games that runs through the end of 2028. The deal was announced on April 26, 2026, during the Chery International Business Summit in Wuhu, China, alongside the OMODA 4 Roll-off Ceremony. It marks the first time an automotive brand has held a main sponsorship position within the VALORANT EMEA competitive ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Does the Partnership Include?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The deal goes well beyond standard logo placement. OMODA will be integrated into VCT EMEA regional broadcasts through a dedicated segment called “Show Stopper,” which highlights the match of the week. The brand will also serve as the presenting sponsor of the Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award at every Stage Finals trophy ceremony, including the upcoming Barcelona arena event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the live event side, OMODA vehicles will be physically showcased at major VCT EMEA events. Charlie Allen, EMEA Director of Commercial Partnerships and Business Development at Riot Games, stated: “OMODA has shown real commitment to the thriving VALORANT esports ecosystem by partnering with us on a multi-year partnership. Bringing in OMODA as our first automotive partner on VCT demonstrates the growth, global relevance, and mainstream attraction of our league and game.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barcelona Stage 2 Finals: The First Major Activation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

OMODA’s first major public-facing activation will take place at the VCT EMEA Stage 2 Finals in Barcelona, scheduled for August 28 to 30, 2026. The event will be held at the Ol\u00edmpic Arena in Badalona, which seats 12,760 spectators. This is the first time VCT EMEA has moved outside of Berlin for a finals weekend. Tickets go on pre-sale via Ticketmaster on May 7, with general sale opening on May 15. Weekend passes are priced at approximately \u20ac85, with category-based single-day pricing also available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A free Fan Fest surrounding the arena will complement the main event, and OMODA vehicles will be on display for attendees. The featured vehicle for the collaboration is the OMODA 4, a compact crossover with a “Cyber Mecha” design aesthetic that the brand positions as visually aligned with gaming culture. The OMODA 4 ULTRA variant adds a sport exhaust sound system and launch control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who Is OMODA?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

OMODA is a crossover brand established in 2022 under Chery, China’s largest passenger vehicle exporter. The brand was purpose-built for international markets under a “Born Global, Born Unique” philosophy and is part of Chery International alongside sister brand JAECOO. By 2025, OMODA and JAECOO had entered 64 markets across Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East, surpassing 800,000 combined global vehicle sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chery itself is a major force in the global automotive industry. Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Wuhu, Anhui, the company sold 2,806,393 vehicles in 2025 and exported 1,144,588 units in 2024. The company debuted on the Fortune Global 500 in 2024 at position 385 with $39 billion in revenue. OMODA’s Barcelona connection is also symbolic: Chery signed a joint venture in 2024 to manufacture vehicles in a former Nissan factory in Barcelona.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Game Changers EMEA Coverage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The agreement explicitly covers Game Changers EMEA, the premier women’s competitive league within the VALORANT ecosystem. By including Game Changers alongside the main VCT EMEA league, OMODA signals support for inclusive competition. Jingya Liao, Global Brand Director of OMODA, described the partnership as “a natural extension of our Born Global, Born Unique spirit,” adding that “esports is where passion, technology, and self-expression collide.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How This Fits Into VCT EMEA’s Sponsorship Landscape<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

OMODA joins a growing roster of brands investing in the VCT EMEA ecosystem. Earlier in 2026, KitKat signed as an Official Partner for the full season with branded in-broadcast break segments and on-site activations at the Barcelona finals. Movember was named the official mental health partner for the 2026 and 2027 seasons. At the global VCT level, sponsors include AWS, Red Bull, Secretlab, Mastercard, Verizon, Coinbase, and HP\/HyperX.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The broader VCT sponsorship landscape remains relatively open compared to Counter-Strike. Data from the 2026 season shows that only about 30% of tier-1 VCT teams carry a commercial sponsor on their front-of-jersey area, compared to 80-90% in Counter-Strike. Riot Games’ publisher-led approval process creates a more controlled, brand-safe environment. The automotive sector specifically is emerging as a new category in this ecosystem: Lexus sponsors 100 Thieves in the Americas, and now OMODA anchors the EMEA region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

OMODA’s Sports Sponsorship Track Record<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before entering esports, OMODA had already established a presence in traditional sports. In the 2024\/25 season, OMODA and JAECOO became the first official automotive partner of the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup in European rugby. That deal targeted the UK, Italy, and South Africa as key markets and was Chery International’s first global multi-market sports sponsorship. The pivot to VALORANT esports represents a more targeted play for the 18-35 demographic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Automotive Brands Are Entering Esports<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

OMODA’s move follows a pattern of automotive brands recognizing esports as a viable channel to reach younger consumers. The VALORANT audience skews heavily toward the 18-35 age range, a demographic that traditional automotive advertising struggles to engage through TV and print. VCT EMEA attracts hundreds of thousands of live viewers per broadcast, and its league structure (12 partnered teams across major European, Turkish, and CIS markets) provides sustained seasonal exposure rather than one-off event visibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the esports industry, the entry of Chinese automotive challengers willing to commit to multi-year cycles could provide a significant boost. The VCT’s regulated, publisher-controlled sponsorship model offers these brands cleaner integration opportunities than the cluttered placement seen in less regulated esports circuits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What This Means for VALORANT Fans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For viewers and attendees, the most tangible impact will be felt during broadcasts and live events. The Show Stopper segment will add a new layer to weekly match coverage, and the MVP Award presentations will carry OMODA branding at every Stage ceremony. At the Barcelona finals, physical vehicle displays and interactive activations will extend the experience beyond the screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partnerships like this directly contribute to the financial sustainability of the VCT ecosystem, helping fund prize pools, production quality, and team revenue sharing. The VCT EMEA Stage 2 carries a $250,000 prize pool, and the broader league structure supports partnered teams with guaranteed base payments and performance bonuses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For those looking to stay connected with the VALORANT competitive scene and its marketplace, GamerMarkt’s breakdown of the VCT format changes<\/a> provides further context on where the ecosystem is heading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Things Worth Knowing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Which company owns OMODA?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

OMODA is a subsidiary of Chery Automobile, China’s largest passenger vehicle exporter. The brand was launched in 2022 specifically for international markets and operates under Chery International alongside JAECOO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How long does the VCT EMEA deal last?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The agreement is a multi-year Main Partner contract running through the end of 2028. It covers both VCT EMEA and Game Changers EMEA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What will OMODA sponsor during broadcasts?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

OMODA will power the “Show Stopper” match-of-the-week segment and serve as the presenting sponsor of the MVP Award at every Stage Finals ceremony. Vehicles will also be displayed at live events, starting with the Barcelona Stage 2 Finals in August 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is this OMODA’s first esports sponsorship?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yes. The VCT EMEA deal is OMODA’s first partnership in esports. The brand previously sponsored European rugby through the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup in the 2024\/25 season.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Chinese automotive brand OMODA has signed a multi-year deal with Riot Games to become the first official automotive partner of VCT EMEA and Game Changers EMEA through 2028. The partnership includes broadcast integrations, live event activations, and MVP award sponsorship.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":2870,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[322],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2869","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2869","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2869"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2869\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2871,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2869\/revisions\/2871"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2870"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2869"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2869"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2869"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}