Riot Games Drops Spanish Esports Partner Over Streaming Dispute

Riot Games Inc. severed ties with Spanish esports organization Movistar KOI, stripping the team of its coveted spot in the Valorant Champions Tour EMEA league just months before the 2026 season begins.

The Los Angeles-based gaming company announced the termination on Saturday, citing an unspecified "breach of contract" that immediately ejected one of the league's 10 founding partners from competitive play.

At the heart of the dispute lies a streaming requirement tied to KOI co-founder Ibai Llanos, one of Spain's most prominent content creators. When Riot selected KOI in 2022, the contract reportedly mandated that Llanos co-stream VCT matches to tap into his millions of followers, a key factor in the organization's original selection.

That arrangement unraveled as Ibai scaled back his streaming schedule over the past year, citing concerns about his mental health and overall well-being.

According to industry publication Sheep Esports, Riot flagged KOI's failure to meet streaming obligations multiple times throughout 2024, issuing a formal warning in January and conducting follow-up discussions as recently as May.

Adam Adamou, chief executive of KOI's parent company, OverActive Media Corp., disputed Riot's decision, characterizing the disagreement as centered on "technical details." He said KOI had proposed alternative streaming arrangements at its own expense, which Riot rejected.

The timing caught KOI off guard. In a 10-minute video response, Ibai said the organization was summoned to an "urgent meeting" on Friday, just one day before the public announcement, and told the decision was final.

"Nobody saw it coming because no one warned us at all," Llanos said, noting that KOI had already hired a coach for the upcoming season.

Ibai speculated that the move might be tied to the relegation of Gentle Mates. He suggested that by removing KOI from the league, Riot may be making room for M8’s potential return to VCT EMEA.

KOI's complex corporate structure may have complicated matters. The organization formed in January 2024 through a three-way merger of separate Spanish entities, including the original KOI founded by Ibai and soccer star Gerard Piqué.

The decision affects only KOI's Valorant operations. The organization will retain its spot in Riot's League of Legends European Championship, where it won the title last year. All KOI Valorant players will become free agents, with Riot granting special exemptions allowing them to sign with other teams despite the closed transfer window.

Riot said it will select a new permanent partner to fill the vacant league slot ahead of the 2026 season.