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Unlock your potential: A clear path to partner success in 2026
At Red Hat, our mission is simple: we want to empower every one of our partners to win.
That means building a partnership model that is flexible, transparent, and focused entirely on mutual growth. We designed the Red Hat Partner Program to remove friction, accelerate deal velocity, and drive significant revenue growth for your business.
We understand that clarity is key to investment. That's why our program uses three tiers—Ready, Advanced, and Premier—that are consistent globally across all geographies, routes, and partner types. No confusing regional exceptions, just a unified roadmap for success.
How it works:
Your tier is determined by the engagement activity points you accumulate throughout the calendar year. These points are earned by participating in a variety of activities, including:
- Achieving product technology booking thresholds
- Registering deals to secure financial incentives and deal protection
- Utilizing sales and product training
- Earning Red Hat Certifications to demonstrate your technical expertise
These points are tracked through Red Hat's systems, such as Red Hat Sales Cloud and Partner Training Portal. By the end of January 2026, after the fiscal year closes, we will total the points you have accrued from January to December 31, 2025, and validate your tier status for 2026.
Your next steps:
We encourage all partners to log into the Red Hat Partner Connect portal, where you have direct access to your activity completion, points, and tier status. While the points displayed may not be final until after the Q4 bookings finalize in January, this is your opportunity to understand your current standing and identify any actions you may need to take before the end of the year.
In the meantime, if you want to earn some more points quickly, here are the links to our comprehensive training curriculum for you to take advantage of:
If you believe your tier designation is inaccurate as of January 31, 2026, you can submit a help desk ticket through the Red Hat Partner Portal, and a Red Hat team member will review your ticket within 48 hours to verify the designation and provide next steps.
For more information on the January 2026 tiering event, view the FAQ on Red Hat Content Center (login required).
