FC Barcelona Announces Exit From League of Legends After Five Years

Barça Esports, the esports division of Spanish football club FC Barcelona, has officially announced its departure from League of Legends after five years. The organization confirmed on Tuesday (October 20) that the 2026 season was its last in the game, ending a journey that began in December 2021.

The decision comes one day after reports that Barça would not compete in Spain's Liga Española de League of Legends (LES) in 2027. The club will now focus on VALORANT, where it intends to pursue qualification for VCT EMEA through the new open circuit.

Barça Esports Ends Its Five-Year League of Legends Journey

FC Barcelona entered competitive League of Legends in December 2021, unveiling its first roster during an event attended by club president Joan Laporta. The team played an exhibition match against Movistar Riders before joining Spain's top national competition in 2022.

Its debut season included a third-place finish in the Spring Split and qualification for the European Masters, marking the club's first appearance in an international League of Legends competition.

Over the following years, Barça remained a regular presence in Spanish competitions. In 2024, the team finished as runner-up in the Superliga Summer Split and returned to the EMEA Masters.

One of the organization's biggest achievements came in 2025, when Barça reached the EMEA Masters Spring final. However, the team fell 3-0 to Los Ratones, missing out on the European title.

In its final season, Barça finished second in the 2026 LES Kick-off, fourth in the Spring Split and third in the Summer Split. The team also placed fourth in the Final Four and qualified for the Winter and Summer editions of EMEA Masters.

In its official farewell announcement, the club thanked the players, coaches, broadcast talent and fans who supported its League of Legends project throughout the five years.

FC Barcelona Will Focus on VALORANT in 2027

According to Sheep Esports, Barça Esports applied for a spot in Riot Games' VCT EMEA partnership program for 2027 and 2028 but was not selected. The club's Head of Esports and Gaming, Jogu, had previously indicated that securing a partnership slot could determine whether the organization would remain in the Spanish League of Legends scene.

Despite leaving LoL, Barça Esports will continue competing in VALORANT in 2027, with the goal of reaching VCT EMEA through the open qualifiers starting in November 2026. The new competitive structure will give non-partner teams a chance to qualify for top-tier events.

The club entered VALORANT in 2024 and achieved several domestic results during the 2026 season, winning Spain's second split and the overall VALORANT Rising Spain season. However, the team fell short of qualifying for VCT EMEA.

Barça will also maintain its Game Changers project for another season, aiming to secure a spot at the international Game Changers Championship.

The club confirmed that roster renewals and new signings for its 2027 VALORANT teams will be announced in the coming weeks.

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Featured image credit: FC Barcelona

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